Black Snow
by Alexandria Keating
Summary: Marie always loved the snow. Jack wanted to know why children stopped believing once they grew older. As fear grips his heart that he has done something wrong, the desire for fun flees his heart, and the snow turns black as his heart is overrun by fear and pain.
1. Prologue: The First Snow

**Hello, readers! I watched this movie last night and absolutely loved it! I instantly fell in love with Jack's character, and he just got increasingly better as the movie went on. I loved the struggles he went through, and the parallels between him and Pitch were brilliant. Anyway, the moment I started it, I knew I wanted to write a fanfiction. I came up with the idea fairly quickly, but it took me a day to be able to start writing it. I'm not sure how long this will be. The next update will be in a week or so because I'm headed to New York in the morning. **

**Since this is a prologue, it is short, but the following ones will be longer. **

**I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Rise of the Guardians"**

* * *

**The First Snow**

Cold. Numbing, biting cold. The cold that heightens the senses and slows the body. It was that cold that jolted Marie awake. Cream lids decorated with dark lashes fluttered open to reveal bright green eyes. Panic seized her heart as the young girl's mind tried to make sense of the cold that had her in its grasp and sent wracking shivers throughout her small frame.

Pushing a stray black curl out of her face, she sat up, the sheets falling from her shoulders to a pile at her waist. Bright eyes searched the dark room for what had woken her. As her sputtering heart calmed down, she sighed and went to lay back down when something caught her eye. Her green eyes widened as she threw the covers off her legs and jumped out of bed, the chilling cold forgotten. Small feet carried her to the window. Kneeling on the window seat, she pressed her dainty hands against the cold glass and set her forehead against the damp glass.

A gleeful laugh passed her lips as her shining eyes fell on the first snowfall of the year. Giggling as she watched the snow flurries dance on the wind, her finger idly traced patterns in the frost on her window. Her eyes drank in the bright white against the darkness of night. As her eyes scanned over a golden patch of light from the streetlamp, a shadow dashed through it. Marie slammed her face closer against the glass, her eyes wide. Just as she began to withdraw, self-doubt entwined in her thoughts, she spied a blue sweater and silver hair.

A small gasp passed her lips as she spotted a boy walking on the phone wire across the street: icicles dropping from where his bare feet stepped and a stick clasped in his hands held out in front of him. The boy paused a moment and then jumped, flipping in the air twice before gently landing on the wire again. The young girl let out a small laugh of joy before racing out of her room and down the hall to the living room where her mother sat watching a movie.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" the young girl cried as she jumped onto the sofa next to her mother.

The older woman paused her movie and looked at her daughter with smiling eyes. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Marie bit her lip nervously. Her mother laughed at the reaction and slipped her arm around her shoulders. "What, dear?" the woman asked gently.

"There's a boy outside!" the raven haired girl cried gleefully. "He was walking on the wires! C'mon! Come see!"

The little girl grasped her mother's hand and dragged her off the sofa and pulled the woman behind her into her room. She pushed her mother to the window and sat her down on the window seat. The young girl clambered on after her mother and eagerly looked outside. Her bright eyes flitted around the white blanketed world, searching for the boy. When she couldn't find any sign of silver hair or a blue sweater she dejectedly turned to her mother. The older woman gave her a sad smile before patting her lovingly on the head.

"He was there!" the young girl insisted. "I saw him, Mommy! He was really there!"

"I believe you," the girl's mother said without hesitation.

"Where'd he go?" Marie asked through sniffles and glistening eyes.

"I don't know, sweetie."

"Who was he?"

The older woman sighed and rolled her eyes. "It just snowed; maybe it was Jack Frost."

Marie's eyes widened with delight. She ran to her bed, snatched a blanket and dragged it to the window. Wrapping herself in the pale blue blanket, she curled up on the cushions of the window seat. Her mother gave a small laugh and lovingly kissed her head before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Bright green eyes stared out of the misted window. But, slowly the brightness dimmed and heavy eyelids began to droop. Eventually, the green eyes were cloaked in sleep and gentle, steady breathing passed her small lips. So deep in sleep was the little girl that she missed the crystal blue eyes that peered into the window and the gentle breath that painted the glass with ice.


	2. You Believe?

**Hello, readers! Thanks for the support so far! Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Leave a review with your thoughts, please!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'The Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**You Believe?**

_**Twelve Years Later…**_

A silver haired young man with brilliant blue eyes sat on the wind unseen to all but some young, believing eyes. Casually, he drifted over to a bare tree and gently landed on a low branch. Letting one leg dangle over the edge, he propped the other on the limb and rested his hooked staff over his knee. With lazy movements, he twirled his staff and watched as the ground below him became encrusted with ice.

A dejected sigh caught his ear and pulled him from the cold. Jumping to a crouch with his staff tight in hand, he looked down as two women walked underneath him. He leaned forward to catch wisps of their conversation.

"—he still insists that Santa's real," a woman bundled in a blue coat complained.

"How old is he now, seven?" her blond companion attempted to sooth her.

"Eight! Nine in a few months."

"Really? Susan stopped believing when she turned eight. Actually," the blond paused a moment, "I think it was earlier than that."

"Why do we tell them such things in the first place? They stop believing too early: it saddens us. They keep believing too long: it scares us," the bundled woman sighed as she rubbed a gloved hand to her temple.

"I don't know, Karen. I really don't. It's always been unnecessary childish fantasies to me," her companion scoffed.

The young man sighed as the female voices drifted away from him. He had no desire to hear the end of that conversation.

What happened when people grew older?

What made them stop believing?

_Even Jamie,_ the blue-eyed man pondered,_ has doubts now. After everything, he now doubts me. What did I do wrong?_

Shaking these thoughts from his head, he stood up and whispered, "C'mon wind." Stepping off the branch, he let the wind carry his body to leave the dark thoughts below.

* * *

Marie sat up and let the covers slip off her shoulders, sacrificing her bare skin to the numbing cold. Goosebumps flowered up her arms as the air nipped at her skin. With a wide yawn, she pulled her mass of black curls on top of her head and wrapped a tie around it. Rubbing the stiffness out of her neck, she pulled her sock clad feet from the covers and placed them on the carpeted floor. Her bright green eyes glanced over to her roommate still sound asleep; her covers drawn up to her chin. Smirking at her inability to wake up, Marie stood and walked to the window at the head of her bed.

Tentatively, the awake young woman grasped the gossamer curtain between her fingers and pulled it back to reveal warm sunlight glistening off the pure white, freshly fallen snow. Her lips pulled back into a bright smile. Her eyes flew around the now white campus, absorbing the stillness. Quickly drawing the green orbs away from the white, she turned to the sleeping form and whispered, "Laura. Laura, wake up. It snowed."

The bundled frame shifted and hissed, "Tell it to someone who cares, Marie."

The standing woman rolled her eyes and dashed to the shared closet. Slipping on a light jacket over her tank top and boots over her sock clad feet, Marie rushed out of the room and down the stairs. She threw the door open and stopped. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and embraced the pins that the air poked into her lungs. Reopening her eyes she stared in silent wonder at the peacefulness before her. With a smile dancing across her lips and slight regret in her heart, she took the first step and ruined the perfect snow.

Slowly she made her way down one of the many paths that weaved in and out of the buildings on campus. When she spotted an old gnarled and bent oak tree her smile grew as she picked up her pace towards it. As she got closer she noticed that the small stone bench that was tucked away amongst the roots was free of snow. With a skip in her step, she pranced towards it. The dark haired woman wrapped her jacket around her tighter and sat down on the chilled bench. Pulling her hood up, she laid down on the unforgiving stone and propped her feet up—knees high on the air—and curled her hands under her head. Taking another deep breath of the crisp air, she covered her emerald eyes with creamy lids.

Marie didn't know how long she laid there in peace before she heard a rustling that drew her from her introverted thoughts to the outside world. Gleefully she opened her eyes in hopes of spying a bird or a squirrel in the net of branches entwined above her head. However, she was quite surprised then when her green eyes met a pair of crystal blue ones staring at her from a low branch above her head.

The young woman gave out a startled yelp and tried to sit up but landed face first into the snow. Pushing herself onto her knees, she brushed the chilled powder off her body as her bright eyes searched the tree for what she was certain she saw. But her desperate eyes turned up an empty search: all she managed to see where bare branches, intertwined within each other in an elaborate pattern and highlighted with snow. With a dejected sigh she pulled herself back onto the bench.

She could've sworn she'd seen him. Marie had only seen him once before in her life—a fleeting moment at a young age—but she knew him. She knew that frosted, blue sweater. She knew that hooked staff. She knew that silver hair. She knew him so well that there was no doubt in her mind that she had seen Jack Frost.

And now she knew those crystal blue eyes.

The black haired woman bit her lip as she felt her heart sink. He had been there. He had to have known that she saw him.

So why didn't he stay?

Marie sighed and slumped back onto the bench. _So is the curse of believing in childhood fantasies,_ she mused. So many years had passed and each year she had tried to convince herself out of believing, but she couldn't do it.

It made her feel incomplete.

It made her feel like she was lying to herself.

Ever since she was seven and saw him for the first time, she couldn't stop believing in him, and if he was real, then wouldn't the others also be?

The young woman groaned and rubbed her chilled hands across her face. Shivering from the contact, she thought, _I'm going to have to go back in soon. I can't stay out much longer dressed like this. But first…_

Marie jumped up and walked from the roots of the tree. Once she felt safe that she was free from their potential prodding, she laid back into the snow and spread her limbs out. The numbing cold enveloped her and the snow created a soft bed. A peaceful sigh passed her lips as she closed her eyes and began to push her arms up and down while drawing her legs together and apart.

Quickly, she allowed the familiar motions to put her in a trance as memories of other snowfalls flickered through her mind. She had always loved the snow: so bright, so peaceful, and so much potential for being great fun.

Her father had loved winter too. And after he died when she was five, it was the only connection she had to a distant, shadowy memory. She couldn't allow herself to do anything but believe, even if others didn't understand.

Marie's thoughts were interrupted when a something chilled and wet landed on her nose. Rubbing it off with her jacketed arm, she opened her eyes and stared up into the falling snow. Her lips stretched into a smile as she imagined herself flying through the white flurries, away from everything.

Away from fears.

Away from loneliness.

Away from life.

"Thank you," she whispered as she closed her eyes again, hoping that he would be able to hear her.

"No problem," a light, rich voice replied.

The snow dusted woman's eyes sprang open, bright green irises searching. Green slowly connected with blue. The young woman sat up and tilted her body to look at the lithe young man who was perched on a low branch of the tree above her head. Unconsciously, her jaw unhinged as she stared up at a handsome, angular face with a strong jaw, thin lips, a small, gently curving nose and clear blue eyes framed by silver hair that fell effortlessly over his brow. His slender legs were bent as he sat back on his heels and his long-fingered hands held his staff possessively.

As Marie's mind began to catch up, she shut her mouth with a _clack_ and swallowed. Licking her dry lips, she whispered in a voice breathless with wonder, "Jack Frost."

The young man's eyes widened as he heard his name spill from her lips. His head tilted as his fingers tightened around the staff. He leaned down and asked in disbelief, "Did she just say my name?"

The black haired woman simply nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Wait," he choked out, "can you see me?"

* * *

The young woman with her black hair pulled back allowing a few gentle wisps to brush against her creamy face nodded. Her brilliant green eyes never left his face.

_She can see me?_

_She can see me!_

The blue-eyed man let out a laugh of joy and jumped off the branch. He twisted in the air effortlessly and landed softly in front of the lightly dressed woman, his lips pulled back in a wide smile. He planted his hooked staff in the snow and grasped it as he crouched down to look the young woman in the eye.

"You can see me! Do you know what that means?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head slowly, eyes unchanging.

"You believe in me!" he exclaimed around bubbling laughter. "You believe in me! That means—That means I did something right. I did it right…" he trailed off.

_But._

_If I did this right._

_If she still believes in me._

_Then Jamie…_

_I did something wrong with Jamie._

_What didn't I do?_

_Where did I mess up?_

Jack was broken from his thoughts when smooth fingers gently brushed against his cheek. He shook his head and looked into the emerald eyes staring at him.

"You're really here," she stated in wonder as her other hand came up and she pressed her palm against his cheek. She gave a breathy laugh as her lips began to quirk upwards. "You're really here. Jack Frost."

His chest swelled with pride as he heard his name fall from her tongue. "Yeah," he replied, nodding.

The young woman laughed, a cloud of fog passing her lips. She withdrew her hands and clasped them together, pressing them to her lips. Breathing on them, she said through a smile, "You're skin is so cold."

He shrugged. "Tends to be the case."

She lowered her hands to her lap and cocked her head to the side, studying him for a moment. Just as he began to shift with discomfort, she whispered in amazement, "After so many years, I'm finally meeting you."

His eyes squinted and his brow pulled together in thought. Noticing his confusion, she was quick to explain. "When I was seven, I saw you outside my window. It was only for a few seconds because when I looked back you were gone. I couldn't not believe in you since then. And, I've always hoped to see you again." Her smile widened as she laughed, "And here you are!"

Jack felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards in response to her joy. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Marie," she said simply, offering her hand to him.

After a moment of puzzlement, he grasped it and asked one more question, a mischievous smirk playing across his lips, "Well, Marie, how would you like to have some fun?"


	3. How About Some Fun?

**Hello, readers! Sorry this took awhile. As my seniro year comes to a close tests and projects are building up as well as college stuff. I will do my best to get this story written and uploaded as quickly as possible, but I still want to give you guys quality stuff.**

**Without further ado, here is the next chapter! Leave a review with what think, please! It's a wonferful little gift for me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**How About Some Fun?**

His shining eyes were briefly clouded over with confusion before it dispersed and he reached out and grasped her hand. Marie bit the inside of her cheek as his chilled skin pressed up against hers. Her eyes skirted to their entwined hands before jumping back to his face where a mischievous smirk pulled at his pale lips.

"Well, Marie," he questioned, "how would you like to have some fun?"

"Fun?" she repeated dumbly, unsure of what he was asking.

Jack Frost laughed and jumped up, pulling her to her feet. "Yes, fun. Haven't you heard of it?"

"Of course I have," she retorted defensively.

He gave a good-natured laugh at her response. Reaching out a hand, he snatched his staff out of the snow and gave it a twirl before resting it on his shoulder. His crystal eyes crinkled in amusement as he looked at her.

Marie smiled in return, her eyes unable to leave his face. As the seconds ticked by he dropped his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. He kicked the white powder on the ground around him with bare feet.

"So," he drawled out, "how about that fun?"

The dark haired woman's eyes widened as she realized what had just happened. Turning away with a slight blush infusing her cheeks, she cleared her throat. "It sounds like a plan. I'll have to go put something else on first."

"Yeah, okay," he said nodding. Pointing the way she had come from with his staff, "After you."

She gave a brief smile and wrapped her arms around herself as she started down the path back to her dorm room with the silver haired man following behind on the wind.

* * *

Jack floated aimlessly on the wind, lounging on his side next to this young woman: this strange young woman who someone believed in him. He smiled to himself.

She believed in him.

He had done something right.

_Maybe, _he wondered,_ if I talk with her I can figure out what it is, and then I can fix things with Jamie._

His heart sank as his thoughts turned to the young boy who was the first to believe in him. But, the young boy wasn't a young boy anymore, and despite what he had done and seen, he still began to doubt as he grew older. At first it had been barely noticeable, Jamie just had more worked to do, he had school, but soon he just wanted to be with other people. He pushed Jack aside and had less and less time for him…

"I'll only be a moment."

Jack shook his head and twisted his body, setting his feet in the snow. He gave a smile when he saw the worry in her emerald eyes. "Alright," he said, sticking a hand in his sweater pocket. "Whenever you're ready for some fun, I'll be here," he said with a smirk as he pushed himself off the ground and let the wind carry him up into the clear sky.

* * *

Her green eyes watched as his blue and brown clad form quickly disappeared. A rich laugh floated down from his vanished form. With a smile pulling at her lips, she turned to the doors and pulled on one, only to be met with resistance.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. Letting out a puff of breath, she hit her head against the glass on the door. "This is what happens the one time that I forget my student ID card." A string of curses slipped past her lips as she realized that she had also forgotten her cellphone.

"My, Marie, I never thought you were one to have a sailor's mouth," came a gruff voice behind her.

The young woman jumped and turned around to see a brown headed boy with dark eyes smiling down at her. She gave a weak laugh as a small smile pulled at her lips. "Well, Jeff, seeing how I'm locked out without any way of getting in contact without someone, I believe that would warrant such language."

He gave a gruff laugh as he walked up and swiped his ID card. The door beeped as it unlocked. He pulled it open and gestured inside. "You're lucky I decided to follow through on my morning jog today, and even more lucky that I forgot my gloves."

The dark haired girl smiled as she shuffled into the warm building, knocking the snow off that clung to her boots. "Thanks. I owe you."

"That you do. I might have you help with my English paper. Dickens is lost on me!" he exclaimed.

"Gladly," she said with a smile, "but not today."

"Oh no, of course not," he said as they walked into the building and up the stairs. "I can see that you have something very eventful planned today. I'd hate to take you away from something so great you didn't have time to get dressed this morning."

Marie gave a light laugh at his comment. When they reached the third floor door, she said her farewell and made her way to her room. She grabbed the handled and turned but it didn't budge.

"And of course I had to lock the door behind me," she sighed. Letting her forehead fall against the cool wood, she gave a few sharp knocks on the door. When there was no answer she banged her head against the door and knocked harder.

A small groan and a string of curses caught her ear, floating through the door. "I'm coming. I'm coming," she heard her roommate grumble.

The black haired girl stepped back, and the door opened before her. Her tousled blond hair and bleary eyed roommate appeared in the doorway. When her dark eyes fell on Marie, her stance drooped and she let out a guttural groan. "What the hell, Marie? Why'd ya wake me?"

The young woman gave a bashful smile. "I forgot my key," she explained embarrassed.

With a huff her roommate dragged herself away from the door and slumped back onto her bed. By the time Marie had slipped her boots off, the blonde's mouth was slack and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. The black haired woman shook her head with a small smile pushing the corner of her mouth up. Walking to her drawers, she pulled out a pair of thermals, jeans and a sweater. She tossed them on her bed and followed them with the jacket she currently wore. Then she grasped the hem of her pajama top. She began to pull it off but stopped just before the swell of her bosom. Her mind flickered to a young man with bright eyes and the empty window in front of her. Dropping her shirt, she crossed to the window and pulled the blinds down.

"Better," the young woman sighed in satisfaction as she set about getting dressed.

* * *

The cold wind might have felt like daggers tearing into the skin for others, but for Jack, it was refreshing. The winter air tore around him as he plummeted back to the white ground below. Pushing his arms from out in front of him to his sides, he increased his speed and a bubble of mirth past his lips as the adrenaline rushed through his veins, clearing his head.

The silver haired boy continued his free dive until the last second. He pulled up sharply and scraped the snow as he flew inches above it. Racing his shadow, he made several laps around the buildings weaving his way in and out of trees, statues and people. Finally growing bored, he righted his body vertically and skidded to a stop in the snow in front of the building Marie had gone in. Sticking his staff in the cold ground, he wrapped both hands around the smooth wood, leaned his head against it and waited for her arrival.

As minutes ticked by without her appearance, he let out a groan and rolled his eyes as he shot himself upwards. Jack landed on the roof of the building. He sat down on the edge and propped one foot up while letting the other dangle over the roof and play in the air. Laying his hooked staff next to him, he picked up a handful of the white powder that surrounded him. He expertly crafted it into a ball and gently blew on it, watching as it sparkled with a blue sheen. Smiling boyishly, he tossed the snowball in his hands as his crystal blue eyes searched the surrounding area for an unsuspecting targeted.

His roaming eyes were finally satiated as he spied a young couple walking hand-in-hand out of a building a little ways off. The silver haired man's smile broadened as he jumped to a crouch on his toes and tossed the snowball at a buff man. His blue sweatered chest swelled with pride as he watched the snowball hit its target with a successful puff of blue.

Rich laughter passed his lips as he watched the man pick up a handful of snow, compact it and toss it at the girl. She let out a yelp before laughing and returning his attack. Soon they were chasing each other with peals of laughter and snow. Slowly, others trickled out in curiosity of what was going on and quickly got sucked into the snowball fight. In relatively no time, the campus courtyard appeared to be nothing but an oversized child's backyard filled with forts and ammo.

With another laugh, Jack jumped up and let the wind blow him over to the fun. He weaved himself between the bodies distributing ammo as he saw fit. Once he was satisfied with the work he had down, he pulled to a stop in the middle of the fight and stuck his staff in the ground before perching on top of it to survey his work. A wide smile creased his face. He hadn't had this much fun since Jamie had stopped having time for him.

As his thoughts turned to Jaime, the smile fled his face and his mood sombered. The bright sky began to darken as clouds began to blow in. The shouts of joy died down to murmurs of worry. Jack snapped to attention as he saw those around him beginning to abandon the forts and snowballs.

"Oh no you don't," he exclaimed as he jumped off his staff. His bare feet landed softly in the cool powder. He scooped up a handful, and with a quick breath, tossed it at the nearest person. After a few more enhanced snowballs, the soldiers had gained their second wind and the battle began anew.

As he called the wind to lift him higher so that he could observe the battle, a bundled form emerging from a nearby building caught his eye. His lips twitched upwards as he spied a familiar head of black curls. Effortlessly, he shifted his body and landed in front of her. The silver haired man planted his staff in the snow with one hand and casually leaned his body weight onto it, crossing his feet.

"What took you so long?" he questioned.

"Excuse me," she stuttered out, her eyes pinched in confusion. "I only took fifteen minutes, and for forgetting my key, I'd say that's a pretty good time."

"You forgot your key?"

She nodded, a small smile creeping across her face. The young woman reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a length of fabric and metal that held cards and keys. "But I remembered them this time," she explained as she returned the item to her pocket. "I also remembered to grab my phone."

Jack nodded, a bit confused on what the importance of the items were.

The two figures stood in silence for a few minutes before Marie cleared her throat and inquired, "So, are we going to have that fun?"

The blue eye boy smiled as he grabbed her glove covered hand. "C'mon, wind, take us up," he said.

* * *

A quick rush of cold air enveloped Marie and she let out a startled yelp and clung to Jack's arm as she felt her feet leave the ground. The cold air nipped at her exposed skin, and she buried her face in the silver haired man's blue sweater clad arm to block it. She dare not remove her face until she felt ripples of laughter coursing through his body.

She pulled back and squinted at him, somewhat offended by his laughter. "What?" she demanded.

Jack simply smirked. "Look around," he said simply.

Green eyes pulled away from his form to explore the vast whiteness that expanded around her. Slowly her gaze drifted downwards and she saw her college campus far below her. Fear seized her heart at the brief prospect of falling, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on his arm.

Her wide-eyed amazement and terror at what lay below her was interrupted by: "Now onto the fun."


	4. The Frosted Lake

**Hello, readers! Thank you to those of you still around with me. This last month has been so busy, but guess what? AP tests: done. Finals: done. Graduation: done. Job: still sadly unemployed as of now. Meaning: I've got time to write! And not just little bits here and there as I struggle to stick with the feel of the story, I can actually just continue writing on until inspiration sputters to a stop. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish this story fairly soon then. Now, enough of my chatter, read on and enjoy the next chapter. Leave a review with what you think, please!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**The Frosted Lake**

Marie let out a nervous laugh. "What's your idea of fun?" she asked, her bright eyes skirting downward to survey the white land far below her. She _wouldn't_ be able to survive that fall.

The silver headed boy let out a rich laugh_._ "What do you think?" he returned with a smile.

"Honestly? I was expecting maybe a snowball fight, some sledding. I was not expecting to be flying a couple hundred feet in the air."

Laughter was once again the response she got. "That's to come. We have to get there first," Jack explained.

"And we're going to fly?"

"Of course," he responded with a light shrug.

The curly haired woman bit her lip and gave a curt nod. "Okay," she said tightening her grip on his arm, "I'm ready." Pinching her eyes shut, she readied herself.

"I don't think so," she heard Jack reprimand her. Suddenly, the arm she wasn't clutching on to wrapped around her waist as his other arm slipped from her grasp.

Emerald eyes sprung open. "What are you doing?" she demanded in a panic, throwing her arms around the young man's thin neck.

"Woah, there" he said hoarsely. "Not so tight."

"I don't want to fall," she reasoned.

"You're not going to fall," he comforted.

"Are you sure?" Marie questioned, still hesitant about not having a firm grip to her source of buoyance.

"Of course. You just got to trust me, alright? Can you do that?"

Letting out a small squeak of agreeing consent, she nodded and slowly loosened the death grip she had his neck in. She felt his chest shake as his hands wrapped around her forearms and pulled them from his neck all the way. He wrapped her warm hands in one of his long fingered, cold ones. Pulling away from the comfort of his solid form, she focused on looking into his eyes and only seeing the bright blue which possessed them. Marie could almost believe that she was simply standing on the ground and not hovering oh so many feet above her college campus.

The black haired woman watched as his eyes crinkled in amusement as he said, "You're going to have to look away from me at some point."

She felt warmth pour into her cheeks as her eyes darted away towards the ground. Bad idea. Without a second thought, Marie clamped onto the hand the Jack held onto her by.

"Hey," she heard him implore, "you've got this. I'm not going to let you fall. You just have to believe."

Rapidly nodding, she swallowed in attempt to moisten her dry throat. Breathing deeply to calm her racing heart, she said, "So, where's that fun?"

A smile spread across his face. "C'mon," he said, turning around and pulling her behind him as he laid out on the wind.

* * *

Jack occasionally glanced back at the young woman clinging to his hand, anxious to see how see how she was taking this adventure. He noticed that as their flight continued, she slowly loosened up and began to enjoy herself. Her brows unfurrowed and the lines of fear smoothed out and turned into creases of laughter. Her emerald eyes began to roam the clouds and the ground, drinking in the sights around her. Once she caught him looking at her and her smile broadened, stirring Jack's heart.

He had missed this. Not the fun, fun he quite frequently had. But, someone to enjoy it with was a different story. Someone who could look at him and smile at him, not through him. Someone who could reach out and take hold of his hand and place so much trust in him. He missed it. He missed Jamie. As his thoughts drifted back to the young boy who was the first to see him, an unbidden memory began to creep into the forefront of his mind.

_Cold. Empty. Hollow. It couldn't be. It just couldn't…_

_ "Hey, who threw that?"_

A numbness seized the silver haired boy's limbs as he felt the wind lose its grip on him and Marie. He heard her yelp of surprise which turned into one of terror. He saw the bare branches reaching out, claws unsheathed for them. But he didn't care. What was the point? He always did something wrong. He would always be doing something wrong. He couldn't always fool himself into thinking that he was needed for fun. What was that phrase? Fun in the sun. The sun. Not the snow. Not the cold. Closing his eyes and falling into the numbness, he slipped from the wind.

"Jack!" he heard, yelled desperately in fear. Thin arms wrapped around his abdomen. Opening his eyes, he met those of green filled to the brim with terror.

She believed. She believed in him. She had trusted him. He had done something right, somewhere, at some point. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled the muscles in his face up in what he hoped appeared to be a joyous grin. At the sight of his smile, the black haired woman visible relaxed as she returned the gesture. The young man let out a laugh as he turned his eyes to the advancing trees. Twisting his body so that he faced them head on, he weaved his way through the branches, the stiff wood whipping the air around them. Marie let out a whoop of joy, and he felt his chest shaking in response; his unbidden memories forgotten in the moment.

At the last second he called for the wind, and it readily wrapped around him again. Loose black curls grazed the soft, damp surface of the snow as they flattened out along the ground. Releasing one arm from the young woman, his staff firmly grasped in his hand, he trailed the hooked behind him, shooting snow upwards before it came plummeting back down to the earth. Marie let out a laugh as the white flakes settled lightly on her skin before melting.

Jack felt her push against his chest, and he hesitantly loosened his grip on her. She twisted from his hold until she flew alongside him, his arm still wrapped protectively around her waist. Her teeth sparkled in the brilliance of her smile as she opened her arms and held them out, just like a little kid attempting to fly. The silver headed boy felt his body relaxing and his heart lift. This was why he did this. This was why.

Her emerald eyes turned from the white blanketed forest to his crystal blue ones. He lifted an eyebrow. She giggled and leaned in. She pressed her warm lips to his ear and he felt an unbidden shiver shimmy down his limbs as her hot breath cascaded down his neck. His mind was puzzled at the reaction; he wasn't one to shiver. But, his puzzlement was soon forgotten as he heard her ask, "What else do you have planned?"

His lips twitched into a smile, mischievousness glinting in his eye, as he responded, "Wait and you'll find out."

She let out a laugh, and turned her eyes back to the rushing landscape.

* * *

Adrenaline pulsed through every vein of her body, and her lips stretched in a permanent smile that she knew she would regret afterwards. But in this moment, Marie couldn't care less. This was the most fun she had had in God knows how long. Letting a bubble of mirth pass her lips, she dropped one arm and stuck out a finger, tracing it along the top fluff of snow beneath her. She watched in wonder as the cold dust sprayed upwards and outwards.

After barely a minute had past, the tip of her finger felt lost to the cold and she had to retract it. Bringing the purplish tip to her mouth, she placed it inside her lips and attempted to warm it back up with the heat from inside. Out of the corner of her eye she spied Jack giving her a curious glance, his eyebrows high. She looked over at him and smiled around her finger.

"It's cold," she stumbled out.

His only response was laughter.

Only a few more minutes past of weaving through bare trees and over white dusted hills before the silver haired boy pulled the two to a stop. His feet glided on top of the snow as he landed while Marie's heavily clad ones sunk a few inches until they touch icy ground. Her green eyes anxiously scanned the unassuming area: trees, nothing more than skeletons of their forming glory, surrounded them. Occasionally the bareness was interrupted by an evergreen or a large boulder, but overall it appeared to be nothing more than a random patch of the forest.

"What's so—" she began to ask before Jack cut her off.

"The place I'm taking you is just over the ridge in front of us."

Her eyes skirted over in the direction he mentioned, but the forested horizon showed no sign of a ridge. A flicker of doubt crossed her mind as she began to wonder if he was lost.

"I thought it would be best to walk, and I want it to be a surprise," he finished explaining as he stepped behind her.

A cold, long fingered hand gently pressed over her eyes. Her eyelashes pushed in protest against his cool flesh, but she soon eased their discomfort by shutting her eyes. A light smile pulled at the corner of her lips. "I like surprises."

"Good," he responded with a smile in his voice. "Now just walk forward, and I'll guide you."

Marie gave a nod and took a tentative step forward. When after the first three or so steps she didn't bump into or tumble over anything, she allowed herself to walk at a regular pace. It was only a minute or so of walking until Jack had her stop.

"I'm going to move my hand. But don't open your eyes until I tell you to, okay?" he commanded.

"Alright," she responded, biting her lip in nervousness. The coldness of his hand left her face, but even after it was gone she could still feel the cool presence hovering over her face. She heard the wind blow gently past and there was no doubt in her mind that the silver headed boy rode on its back. After a moment of silence and fidgeting, she heard his voice call out in the distance below her, "You can open now!"

Her eyelashes flickered away from her emerald irises, and as they focused on the sight before her, her mouth unhinged ever so slightly. She stood on the edge of a rocky outcrop dotted with evergreens dusted with white. Below her feet was a vast expanse of frozen lake dotted by a few large boulders. The perimeter of the lake was decorated by thin, skeletal trees, and the view of the sky above her was unhindered to display the blue day in all its brilliance. As her eyes continued to drink in the natural beauty that surrounded her, she began to appreciate the finer details of the area.

The rock ridge wasn't a steep or sheer drop into the frozen water below. Instead, it appeared to have been tailored to resembled steps on a grand scale as it spread out and around, hugging the edges of the lake. To her left, as the rock ended a tree larger than any one she had seen in her life towered from the ground. Its large roots shot upwards and downwards, creating a maze which led to a snow covered bank; meanwhile, its branches strained upwards and outwards reaching higher than its fellows to the brilliant sun. Another tree stood on the opposite side of the lake, a twin in every aspect. Each limb of each tree was perfectly coated with snow and the pattern of frost that spread over the surface of the lake was astounding. And each and every particle of ice reflected the shining sun, as if the area had been covered by diamonds.

Jack Frost landed lightly besides Marie. "What d'you think?" he asked hesitantly.

Her jaw righted itself with a clack, and her lips pulled back over her teeth. She turned to the silver headed boy and threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly. "It's beautiful," she breathed out in wonder. "Thank you so much."

She felt his arms snake around her waist and return the gesture. "How about some ice skating?" he asked, innocent curiosity and fear of rejection clouding his voice.

The black haired woman pulled back and gave several enthusiastic nods, a smile plastered onto her face. "Yes!" she cried in response, but a frown quickly captured her grin as she realized, "I don't have any skates."

"No problem," came Jack's prompt response. He knelt down at her feet and carefully lifted on booted foot.

"Woah," she exclaimed as she twirled her arms in attempt to find balance. Her mission, however, failed and she fell backwards onto the ground. Thankfully, though, the landing was softened greatly by the cool snow beneath her. After settling in her new position, she watched in curiosity as Jack ran his hand over her boot. Her eyes widened into green orbs as she watched a thin blade of ice form from her shoe. Once he finished with one boot, he moved onto the other. When he had finished, he sat back and admired his handiwork.

Marie let out a laugh as she inspected her boots. "It's just like _X-Men_," she marveled to herself.

"What's 'X' men?" came Jack's eager question.

The young woman let out another laugh and waved her hand. "It's a movie reference. Don't worry about it. How about helping me up?" she asked, reaching out her hands.

The silver haired boy jumped to his feet, grasped ahold of her hands and pulled her up in one smooth movement. His grip never slackened as he whispered, "C'mon."

Not waiting for an answer, he jumped from the cliff, dragging Marie downwards with him.


	5. Ice Skating

**Hello, readers! Here is my next chapter. As I finish this story up, it appears to have another five to six-_maybe _more-after this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know how you are enjoying the story-or not. All critiques are welcomed. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**Ice Skating**

Marie let out a wild yell of joy as she and Jack plummeted towards the frozen lake. At the last second, the wind caught the pair and righted them before gently depositing them on their feet. The green eyed woman watched in amazement as the ice that Jack's bare feet touched flowered to life with a fresh patch of frost. The white twirled and arched, reaching cool fingers across the glassed lake.

Her eyes looked up and met his, creased as ever with a smile. His hands slowly left hers, and he dipped down. She watched as he picked up his staff from the ice: she hadn't even notice it wasn't in his hands a moment ago. The silver haired boy let out a laugh as he ran across the ice, his feet sliding along its slick surface. He trailed his staff behind him; its hook tracing a pattern of frost after his every movement. As he approached a large rock the jutted out from the ice, he crouched down, his lips set in a straight line as he increased his speed. Closer and closer he got to its hard surface and Marie flinched away, afraid to see him make contact with it. But her fear was falsely placed as she watched him jump with ease over the rock, spinning effortlessly in the air as he did so.

The black haired woman clapped enthusiastically at his accomplishment as Jack made a lap around the lake. All too soon he skidded to a stop next to her.

"Aren't you going to skate?" he asked.

Marie bit her lip as she looked down, suddenly interested in her fingernails. "I haven't ice skated since I was four," she confessed. "My dad was the one who would do this with me. My mom isn't a big fan of winter. So, I'm a little out of practice."

"That won't be a problem," he responded with a smirk. He lifted a hand and gave it a quick flick. Out of nowhere, a perfectly formed snowflake hovered above his fingers. Idly, he let it dance and flow through his fingers as he juggled it. "This should do just the trick." With a lazy breath, he blew it towards her.

It floated lightly on the air as it slowly drifted towards the young woman. As it approached, she watched its movements transfixed until it landed lightly on her small nose.

* * *

Jack watched as his snowflake brushed gently against her nose. It began to melt and he watched as his magic slowly seeped from it. The blue trailed up to her eyes and pooled into the whites of them.

Marie's brows were still scrunched in confusion, but as his magic began to shimmer with its activity, they began to loosen. The curly haired woman let out a laugh and took a strong step forward out onto the ice. The moment she lifted her other foot, she fell backwards and landed with a thud on the ice.

Jack allowed a laugh to pass his lips at her failed attempt. He idly slid forward and spun around until he looked back at her form which now rested a few feet in front of him. The blue eyed boy rested his staff on his shoulder and watched her progress.

"Oof," she let out, rubbing her bottom. "That's not going to work."

Shifting to her knees, she managed to stand up again on shaking legs. The silver haired boy had to smile at her perseverance. He held out a hand to her, and she wobbled towards it, her fingers outstretched. Her feet seemed to shoot out in every direction but the one she wished to go in.

Laughing, she declared, "I feel like Bambi."

"Bambi?" Jack's eyebrows crinkled in confusion which only caused her to double over in laughter, further compromising her balance.

"'Nother movie reference. Sorry," she explained as she continued to make her way to him, determined not to fall.

However, when she neared the end of her journey, she fully lost her balance and over compensated, pitching herself forward.

"I've got you," the silver haired boy responded on instinct and stepped forward to catch her. He didn't want this time of fun to be ruined by unnecessary injury. He couldn't risk anything.

She landed in his awaiting arms, but he misjudged the force with which was falling and they fell to the ice. Jack wrapped his arms around her as his back thumped against the hard ice and the pair went sliding. As the two slowed to a stop in the middle of the lake, their frames slowly began to shake in unison with laughter.

The young woman blew a stray curl from her eye and rolled off Jack. She sat up and clutched her stomach as she lost herself to a fit of laughter. Gasping for breath, she said in a strangled voice, "That—was—fun."

The silver haired boy smirked as he responded, "That's what I do." Quick as a wink, he jumped to his feet; setting his staff on the ice, he leaned his head against it as he stared at her still shaking form with glittering eyes.

"Help me up," she said as her laughter died down, stretching her hands upwards.

He held out a long fingered hand towards her and she latched on. With a swift jerk, he pulled her to his feet. She let out a scream of glee as she slid up onto the ice. Jack felt her warm arms snake around his shoulders as she attempted to steady herself. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and sunk into the warmth pouring off her body. He couldn't remember a time that he was warm. Perhaps once, before he became immortal, when he had a family, he had been warm. But that was so long ago that the memory was nothing more than a fragment of the dream, no matter how many times he held his teeth and begged Tooth's help.

Just as he began to relax into the rarely found warmth, she pulled back from him, her hands hovering above her arms as she slid away. With a smile dancing on her lips, she hesitantly turned from him and began to push her feet forward and travelled across the ice. With each successful moment and glide, she began to pump her legs faster and more confidently. Her speed began to increase, and Jack watched with a smile plaster across his face as she circled the lake like a pro, her hair streaming behind her, occasionally whipping around her face.

With a holler he jumped into the air and the wind caught him. Twirling through the air, he let its cold fingers pry every worry and horrible memory from his mind. Thrilling in the adrenaline rush, he shot into the air and up to the clear blue sky.

* * *

Emerald eyes traced his disappearing figure. Marie slid to a stop and leaned against a large boulder jutting up from the ice. She craned her neck upwards and her eyes searched desperately for a returning speck of color. As she waited, a cool breeze crept across the lake and sunk under her clothes, tearing at her skin. She shivered and looked up at the sky; clouds began rolling in threatening to cover the sun. The young woman bit her lip, briefly concerned by the change in the weather.

_Vvwoosh._

Marie jumped and slid down on the ice, narrowly avoiding her head cracking against the rock. She gasped, her eyes searching the shadows of the trees. "J-Jack, is that you?" she stumbled out. She tried to pull her lips up in a smile. "Very funny, now come on out."

Her only response was what sounded like a distant neigh. A shiver tingled her spine as fear, doubt and worry began to creep into her heart. She shifted and pushed her back against the rock, glad to have something solid and trustworthy behind her. Her bright eyes were glazed over as they desperately searched the area.

She heard him before she saw him. His laugh rang from the sky above and chased away the dark and coldness that had settled over the lake. She stood up on shaky legs and glided over to him as he landed softly on the ice. His gleeful expression scrunched into one of worry as he saw the panicked expression she was attempting to hide.

"What's wrong?" he asked, stepping forward.

Marie laughed it off, waving a hand. She didn't want to worry him. She didn't want the fun to stop. She wanted to forget the fear that had gripped her heart. "I just thought I heard something. It was just my imagination."

"Yeah," Jack mumbled in distracted agreement as his crystal eyes—bright and alert—scanned the forest and rocks surrounding them. "Just your imagination."

The blank look that took over Jack's face struck a chord in the young woman. She cleared her throat and tugged on his arm. She cautiously skated backwards, pulling him along with her. "Hey, what happened to our fun? You're not very good at keeping promises," she said in attempt to break him from his pensive expression.

Her ploy worked as he began to slide along with her, a smirk twitching his lips. "I never promised you anything. I only offered."

Marie laughed and turned around, all the while keeping a tight grip on Jack's cool hand as she made a lap around the frozen lake. Soon, the blue eyed boy appeared at her side, keeping up with her pace with evident ease. The corner of her mouth tugged upwards as she pushed her shoulder into him. With a laugh, he returned the gesture. With a smirk, she shoved him right back. His eyebrow quirked at her action.

The result was the two forms soon entangled in a wrestling matching on the ice. They stood facing each other, firm grips on the other arms as they pushed and pulled. Occasionally one would resort to an attempt at swiping the other's feet out from under them. Jack's staff lay forgotten on the ice.

The two fumbled closer and closer to the edge of the lake. Once they got close enough, Jack released his grip on Marie and took advantage of her stunned stillness to wrap his arms around her waist, toss her over his shoulder and slide over to the bank before tossing her into a snow pile.

A plume of white dust flew around her body as she landed with a small, "Oof," and a series of mumbled curses.

Jack fell back on the wind in a fit of laughter, clutching his stomach. Marie took note of the distraction. With a cocky smirk overrunning her features, she quickly gathered up a handful of snow and packed it tightly together.

_If you want to play that way,_ she thought._ Let's see how well he handles his own game._ With a well-aimed toss, the snowball arced towards the laughing young man and caught him square in the forehead.

* * *

The silver haired boy spluttered in surprise from unexpected assault and slipped from the wind's grasp with a thud onto the ice. He shook his head and ran a hand over face, removing all traces of the white ice. His bright eyes were wide as he looked up to meet those of the black haired woman.

"Did you just—?" he began accusing her as she let out a yelp of glee and jumped from the snow bank, running to the nearest hideout under a large tree root. He let out a laugh as he hopped to his feet and ran after her. He dipped his hands into the snow and began forming a perfect snowball.

"You think you can beat me at my own game?" he hollered as he tossed the compacted snow through a crevice and laughed as he heard it strike his target.

He watched as she snaked her way from the root and ran back onto the ice. After a moment of flailing, she righted herself and began to make her way across the ice.

"You're not getting away that easy!" he called after her, hearing a laugh in response. He dashed back to the ice and slid onto its slick surface.

Her black curls streamed behind her as she raced to the other side of the lake. As she stopped short, they fell in a tangled mess around her face as she stooped and gathered another handful of snow. She sent another perfectly arced snowball that he narrowly avoided. She had a good arm; he would have to give her that.

With another laugh, she turned and continued her path around the lake. Jack felt his heart flutter at the merry jingle of her laugh. He had barely known her, and already her laughter was an accustomed sound to his ears, just as Jamie's had been…

Shaking his head to clear his mind of those dark thoughts, he rushed after Marie again, only making a brief stop to grab a handful of snow and send it her way. However, he was quite disappointed when she expertly avoided it. _Narrowly,_ he sourly convinced himself, but avoid it she had.

The two continued on in this way for some time, racing around the lake, tossing and dodging snowballs. They were both evenly matched but by the time the event came to a close, Marie was one up on Jack.

The blue eyed boy watched as the young woman collapsed in the middle of the lake, lying on her back, her limbs spread out, her chest heaving in attempt to replenish the oxygen supply she had exhausted. He pulled to a stop next to her and laid down by her side, tucking his arms underneath his head, his own chest heaving rapidly. He let out a weak laugh as a smile tugged at the edges of his lips. He hadn't fully enjoyed something this much since…

_No,_ he reprimanded himself.

He wouldn't think of that.

Not now.

Not after this.

He wouldn't let it ruin the fun he had had.

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and relaxed on the ice next to his new friend.


	6. Doing Something Wrong

**Hello, readers! Another chapter is here! Please review with what you think! Just a little note is all I ask.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**Doing Something Wrong**

The sun began to disappear behind the edges of the trees and the sky above was quickly becoming repainted with a darker blue, lightened only by the stars that winked into existence and the ever present rise of the moon from between the bare branches. The shadows of the trees grew deeper and longer with each second that ticked by. The air chiller by the minute. The ice underneath his back harder and firmer.

Jack watched as his slow breaths out turned into a tangible fog that hovered over his face. A fierce chattering filled the still air and his eyes shifted to Marie as she sat up and rapidly rubbed her hands up and down her jacketed arms. He dragged himself up as well, crossing his legs as he peered over at her red tinged face.

She gave him a weak smile as her eyes turned up to the darkening sky. "I—I think," she struggled out through chattering teeth, "that I sh-sh-should b-b-be heading b-b-back n-n-now."

"What?" he demanded, fear gripping his heart, "What did I do wrong?"

"N-n-nothing. I'm c-c-cold, Jack. I c-c-can't. I'm n-n-not like you," she explained.

The silver headed boy jumped to his feet, his mouth set in a firm line, his eyebrows knitted together. "Yeah. You're not," he said bitterly. "You're not immortal," he ranted. "You're not stuck on the outside needing people to believe in you. You're not doubted in. You can't handle the cold."

"Jack!" he heard her cry out plaintively behind him as he pushed himself across the lake, scooped up his abandoned staff, and leaped into the wind and let it carry him away.

Away from what he couldn't have.

Away from what he'd never know.

Away from what he did wrong.

Away from the place that started it all.

_Why?_

_What was am I doing wrong?_  
_Why couldn't I have realized she was cold sooner?_

The silver haired boy pinched his eyes shut in an attempt to stave off the fierce, piercing burn that had flooded them. Flying blinded, he dove and swerved on mere instinct, but mere instinct was distorted. He let out a holler of pain as his shoulder rammed into a broken branch, and he went tumbling. The snow and ice didn't prove to be a friend to him in this moment as it tore and scraped at his exposed skin and slithered underneath his clothes to bite at his pale skin.

After what seemed to be an eternity of painful rolling, he came to a stop, his limbs sinking into the snow. The white cold softened in this moment only to allow his body to seep into its permanent embrace. The quiet wind gently tugged at his hair, ruffling the silver mass in an attempt to raise him from the snow. But Jack shrugged its helpful attempts off, and it slinked away, tail between its legs, sad at his pathetic state.

Jack took a deep breath and pushed his face deeper into the snow, crunching through the harder, denser layers. Curling in on himself, he grasped his staff in his hands and held it close, the only solid comfort he had.

_Why?_

_ What? _

_ How?_

His mind wouldn't shut off as every doubt, every fear, every worry, every painful memory came tumbling in, swishing and sloshing together in one puddle. Occasionally, one would jump from the mass and pierce him sharply, eliciting a small moan of pain from his mouth.

But, the worst one…

The worst one…

_Cold. _

_Empty. _

_Hollow._

_It couldn't be. _

_It just couldn't…_

Jack struggled to breathe as the memory encompassed him in its freezing, numb grasp. His chest heaved raggedly as his lungs fought to gain some remnant of oxygen.

"Jamie," Jack whimpered out before he was lost into the darkness of memory.

* * *

_He lay lazily on the fence, one foot propped up as the other dangled above the ground. One arm was draped over his stomach while the other held on to his staff and mindlessly twirled it around in the air. His bright eyes watched with glee as white flakes of snow formed behind his staff and drifted towards the ground. _

_The silver headed boy sighed. _What's taking Jamie so long?_ he wondered halfheartedly. The young man put little thought into such a thing. Jamie would be there soon, and they would have some fun. That's how it went. That's how it always was and that's how it would be. _

_The mumble of familiar voices caught his ear and he jumped up, landing lightly on the top of the fence. He perched on the balls of his feet, his staff resting on his bent legs as he stared down the street searching for Jamie. His bright eyes spotted the teenager rounding the corner, surrounded by a pack of friends and being trailed by his younger sister. _

_Jack let out a laugh and waved to the approaching bodies. Jamie's eyes passed over Jack but showed no sign of recognition as he continued talking with his friends. The blue eyed boy felt his heart splinter with panic. _

"_Jamie?" he asked, unsure of whether or not the teen was playing a trick on him. He jumped from the fence and stepped in front of him._

* * *

Jack gasped as his hands released his staff and grasped his hair instead. He pulled the moonlight strands from the roots, hoping he could pull the memory from his mind or, at the very least, hoping the pain would shut his mind of. His hopes were dashed aside as he felt his heart flutter, flapping rapidly against his ribcage, and his lungs scream in protest at their oxygen deprived state.

A biting wind tore at the young man and a harsh neigh caught his ears. Without a thought, he jumped to his feet, his staff clenched at the ready in his hands. His crystal eyes grew wide as the shadows around him seemed to pool and fluctuate. The darkness slithered out from the trees and closer to his form until it stopped only a few feet away. Jack watched in horror as the blackness grew coarse as it molded and shaped and formed until it stood on four long, spindly legs. The twisted form of a horse, straight from a nightmare, stood before him. Its bright yellow eyes peered out from its dark hide, the only source of light. But, the light gave no comfort.

Jack felt sweat bead on his brow as the sickly eyes gazed steadily into him. He readjusted his grip on his staff as he held it out before him. A shot of blue ice flew from it at the demented horse, but it effortlessly glided to the side, its black mane flowing behind it like ink in water. The silver headed boy let out a holler as he sent several more blasts at the creature, but his shaking hands ruined his aim as it walked closer towards him.

As he stared into the eyes of the oncoming nightmare, his fear began to build again as the memory clawed at him. He tried to shove it off and keep his mind focus, but the vicious claws snagged his skin and dragged him back. The last vision that floated before his eyes as he fell into the darkness was the dark horse standing above him before morphing into a familiar form as storm clouds began to roll in.

* * *

_He rested his staff on his shoulder and gave the brown headed teen another wave. "Jamie, c'mon already," he said as the boy got closer. _

_And closer._

_And closer._

_Cold._

_Empty._

_Hollow._

_Forgotten._

_Disbelieved in._

It couldn't be.

It just couldn't…

_The young man turned around, his crystal eyes never more fragile than then as he watched the back of the boy who had been his closest friend, his first believer, grow more distant._

_His heart flapped frantically as his breathing grew shallow._

No.

Not this.

Not Jamie.

"_Jamie?" he called out again tentatively. _

_No response._

"_Jamie!" he yelled in desperation._

_Pain and fear and sadness blinded him as he scooped up a handful of snow, blew on it and threw it at the teen's back. It landed with a soft thump in his hair. A gloved hand reached up and brushed the clumps of snow from his hair as he turned around, a light smile twitching at the corner of his mouth._

"_Hey, who threw that?" he asked. His smile grew wider as his eyes landed on his sister who was happily distracted by the headphones in her ears. _

"_Was it you, Soph?" he yelled as he snatched snow from the ground and threw it at his sister. _

_Jack stumbled away from them, his heart shattered in a way he hadn't thought possible. He had spent so many years lonely, disbelieved in by so many people. What was one more? Why should one more make such a big difference? _

_He thought he was doing something good and right._

_Apparently not._

_Apparently, he was doing it all wrong._

_He was doing something wrong. _

I'm doing it wrong.

_ With tears blinding his eyes, he whipped his staff around his body and the wind understood the silent call as it leapt up and scooped him into the air. It wrapped its arms around him as it carried him away, the ever present friend. _

* * *

That friend again sat patiently with him, running soothing fingers through his hair as it quietly whispered a forgotten girl's cries in his ear.

Jack groaned and slowly cracked his eyes open as he felt the wind's fingers leave him to only be replace by very solid and very warm ones. He stretched his sore limbs and shifted his head. He rubbed a hand over his face in attempt to fix his blurred vision. As he dropped his hand by his head, it landed on someone's knee. The silver headed boy took in a sharp breath as he turned his eyes from the night sky to the creamy face that looked down at him with scared green eyes. A halo of moonlight glowed around her mass of curls.

The young man jump up and crouched across from the young woman who knelt in the snow, her pants damp and her teeth chattering.

"Are you okay, Jack?" she asked, green eyes wide and teeth still chattering.

Jack shook his head and snatched his staff from the icy ground. "I'm fine," he said with an attempted smirk.

"Alright," she said, standing up on shaky legs, "You had me worried. It took me forever to find you."

"I'm sorry for the worry," he apologized gently, his eyes shifting away from her to search for the nightmare. He held out his hand, briefly flashing his eyes back to her. "C'mon. Let's get you back."

A warm hand snaked around his numb fingers and he grasped it tightly. He wanted to leave quickly before it came back. He was afraid of what would happen if Pitch's nightmare found Marie.

His worries were interrupted by a warmth pressing against his side and fingers entwining in his hair. His bright eyes met green ones. A small, sad smile tugged at his lips as she comforted him with her presence alone.

"Alright," she whispered. "But, I want to do this again." A smile spread across her face as she said, "Just don't runaway next time! I'm not that bad, am I?"

"No," he said softly. "You're great."

He did something right here, and he would stay until he inevitably did something wrong.

Marie's brows creased as her fingers became insistent in his hair. "Hmm," she let out through pursed lips.

"What?" he demanded.

"You've got some dirt—or something black—in your hair that won't come out," she explained with a huff. She removed her hand and licked her thumb before making a move to return her hand to his hair.

With a yelp, he jumped away, releasing her hand as he threw his arms over his head. "Ugh, are you supposed to be my mom?"

Marie laughed. "Fine. Fine. Let's just head back."

Jack smiled and lowered his arms. He grabbed her hand as the wind twisted around them and pulled the pair upwards.

* * *

The two figures landed softly in front of the quiet building. The silver haired boy released the hand of the black haired woman and rested his staff across his shoulders, draping his arms over it. He kicked the snow that lay at his feet.

"Thank you. I had fun," Marie said, clasping her hands behind her back.

"That's what I'm here for. Guardian of Fun at your service," he responded with a smirk.

"So, I have to know: are they all real?"

Jack laughed and kicked a plume of snow into the air. "Yeah," he said, rolling his eyes, "a real pain in my—"

"Jack!" she reprimanded him, "be nice."

He simply laughed and lounged back on the wind.

Marie smiled. "Another time?"

"Yeah," Jack whispered. "Tomorrow?" he whispered hopefully, setting himself on the ground on again.

"I have a classes at ten and two tomorrow. Could you meet me at the tree at four?"

"I kinda don't have a watch."

"Umm…Just before sunset then?"

The silver headed boy smiled and gave a quick nod. "Sounds good."

"Thanks again," the young woman said. She put a hand on his shoulder and pushed herself onto her toes. Gently, she brushed her lips against his cold cheek. With her own cheeks blushing, she pulled out her keys and ran to the door.

The young man pushed up on the wind. He passed a window with a low light burning. He paused and watched as Marie walked in. She tossed her keys on to a desk and pulled off her jacket and boots. Her hands went to the hem of her sweater. Jack's eyes widened and he turned away in a rush, his cheeks burning.

After a moment, he heard a light tapping behind him. He turned around to see Marie standing behind the window wearing a tank top and polka-dot pajama pants, her arms crossed over her chest. Jack let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. Marie gave him a small smile and waved him off before closing the blinds.

The young man felt the corner of his lips tugging upwards as he flew up into the moonlight, leaving the shadows behind him for the moment.


	7. The Black Streak

**Hey, readers! Next chapter for you. Please leave me a review! Thanks :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians' **

* * *

**The Black Streak**

Shattered sunlight crept into the room from the crevices in the blinds, illuminating the small areas it could reach. One area in particular that it could reach was Marie's eyes. The sudden light that pierced through the thin veil of skin over her eyes elicited a moan from her as she rolled over and threw an arm over her face. She took a deep breath that transformed into a wide yawn as she pushed her limbs in opposite directions, her back lifting from the mattress. Her eyes blinked open to a bleary view of the world. With another yawn, the sleepy woman rubbed the backs of her hands against her eyes, removing the traces of sleep that lingered stickily in the corners.

The young woman sat up and attempted to run her fingers through her tangled mane. The slender appendages were snagged before they even started their journey and Marie let out a huff and she piled her hair on top of her head, snatched an elastic band and wrapped it around the mass of curls.

"It would seem a shower's in order this morning," she sighed as she pushed the warm comforter from her legs and swung out of her bed.

Goosebumps flowered up her arms as her bare feet made contact with the cool floor and a shiver ran through her body. "Didn't have to go quite so far, Jack," she mumbled as she spread the blinds open and peered through the frost dense window.

With a light laugh she turned from the window and gave her sleeping roommate one fleeting look before she grabbed a towel, change of clothes and soap, walked out the door and down the hall to the communal bathroom. Marie pushed the door open with her elbow and a plume of dense, warm, sticky fog fell out and wrapped around her. Wrinkling her nose, she walked in and allowed the door to swing shut behind her.

Young woman stood in front of a mirror as she brushed out her long, red hair. Her dark eyes flickered upwards and met Marie's. A smile pulled at her lips. "G'mornin', sunshine," she trilled out.

"'Morning, Sally," she politely responded.

The black haired woman's feet slapped against the damp floor as she made her way to an open shower stall and shut the door behind her. She tossed her clothes and towel over the door and set her soaps in the shower. Peeling off her pajamas, she tossed them over the side wall. After she snaked her hair out from the elastic band, she slipped it onto her wrist and stepped into the shower. Pulling the curtain close between the tiled shower floor lip and the cemented floor of the changing area, she turned the hot water on.

The burning liquid caressed her sore muscles and seeped through her hair to her scalp. Sighing in relief, she squeezed a dollop of body wash on her palm and rubbed it until it foamed and then proceeded to lather it on her skin, massaging out the knots and kinks from the day before. As she worked on loosening her muscles, a smile crept across her face. This was usually something she had to do on Friday after the stresses of the week, and now she was doing it on a Monday after the fun of yesterday.

After she washed the sweetly scented foam from her skin, she poured a healthy dose of conditioner in her hair and massaged it in, gently pulling at the tangles and untwining the strands of hair. It took several minutes of work until her hair had regained some resemblance of normal. Marie rinsed the conditioner from her hair and replaced it with soap which she worked through the think locks until it reached her scalp. Once she felt all the grease and grime lift from her head, she washed it down the drain. Another touch of conditioner on the ends of her hair and she was ready to call it good, but the warmth and constant pounding of the water felt so good. She allowed herself another minute to close her eyes and enjoy the rhythm of warmth being played across her skin.

With a moan at her loss, she shut the water off and wrung out her hair. Shaking stray droplets of water from her skin, Marie pulled the curtain back and stepped out of the shower. She clutched her towel and dragged it down to her. She buried her face in it and then rubbed it down the expanse of her body. Flipping her head forward, she wrapped the towel around her dripping hair and stood up, hands hovering by the sides of the towel in case it loosened and fell. She then slipped into her clothes with a slight struggle as the fabric clung to her skin using the stray beads of water as adhesive.

She gave herself a nod, the towel shifting dangerously on her head, and opened the door. Snatching her clothes, she dumped them on the counter, used the bathroom quickly, washed her hands and grabbed the bundle of clothes before finally heading back to her room. As she dumped her clothes in her hamper and tossed her damp towel over the back of her desk chair to dry, her stomach twisted in pain.

A frown tugged at her slips as she laid a hand against her stomach. A dull headache began to creep up behind her eyes. Sitting on her bed, she took a deep breath until the moment passed. She was finally feeling the effects of not eating yesterday.

_I'd like to say the idea of food never crossed my mind yesterday,_ she thought,_ but that'd be a lie. It just never seemed to cross his mind, and I didn't want to bring it up and interrupt everything. Does he even eat? Well, no. He doesn't have a need to, does he? Hmm...I'll need to ask him today. But first, breakfast,_ she concluded as she stood up, pocketed her lanyard and headed out the door to the cafeteria.

* * *

The sky's hues were losing the harsher colors of night in favor of the softer shades of day as the sun peaked over the horizon. A young man pulled his blue hood further over his head, hopped from the wind's back and padded across the rest of the street to the fence. He leapt over it easily and landed softly on the snow dusted grass. He crept up to an open window and peered through it, his breath frosting it over. Frustrated, he wiped it away with his sleeve and refocused on inside the house.

A blond girl sat curled up on a wooden chair as she shoveled spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth. An older woman bustled about the kitchen, a cellphone attached to her ear. As she passed the young girl, she laid a gentle pat on her shoulder followed by a kiss on her forehead. The girl laughed before making a show of wiping the kiss off her. The woman smiled sweetly down at her before walking out of the kitchen.

Jack frowned. As much as he loved Sophie, she wasn't who he was looking for. Pushing off from the ground, the wind carried up to a white paned window. He peered through the glass and spied Jamie's slumped form bundled under a pile of sheets. His brown hair fell in a tangled mess over his forehead.

A loud, piercing buzz filled the air. A groan fell through the teen's lips as he crawled from the tangles of the sheets. A hand flew out and slapped the alarm that sat harmlessly next to his bed. The insistent buzzing shut off and the teen dragged his body upward. He groaned once again as he ran a hand across his face and through his tangled hair.

"Jaime!" his mother's voice reverberated through the door.

"What?" he croaked back in an unused voice.

The door creaked open as the woman's head poked through. "Just making sure you're up. You've got twenty minutes."

"Yeah," he mumbled as he rolled off the mattress and began to dig through drawers.

Taking a deep breath, the silver headed boy tapped his knuckles against the glass. He watched as the brown hair bounced around the teen's face as his head flew up and over his shoulder. Jack jumped in excited and waved a hand at his friend.

But Jamie's eyes dulled and fell away from the window, and he turned back to slipping into his clothes.

The blue eyed boy slipped from the wind's grasp and he crashed into a pile of snow. _He didn't see me. Jamie didn't see me._

Jack's breath caught under a hard lump in his throat. His chest heaved as his eyes widened.

_He really can't see me._

His long fingers snaked into his hair and pulled at the moonlight kissed strands as he bent over and tucked his head between his knees. Tears pooled in his eyes and slowly traced delicate patterns down his cheeks before rolling across his lips and falling as flecks of ice.

_I'm sorry._

_I'm so sorry, Jamie._

_What did I do?_

_What didn't I do?_

The slam of a door closing penetrated his ear and sorrow. He looked up, brushing the dampness from his eyes, to see Jamie with Sophie close on his heels heading in his direction. Afraid to hope, but more afraid to not, Jack jumped to his feet, throwing his staff over his shoulder and pushing the hood from his head. A smile pulled at his lips as he said, "Hey, Jamie. You gave me a bit of a scare there—"

His voice stopped short as once again that horrible shudder took ahold of his body as Jamie stepped through him and kept walking. Jack felt his fist clench as anger at his misunderstanding and fear beginning to simmer.

A hesitant hand touched his arm and he looked down into the eyes of Sophie, a sad smile on her lips.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"Why?" he barked out.

The young girl shrugged. "He grew up. He got older. We all do, Jack. You can't stop it."

The silver headed boy looked away from her, his eyes trained on the snowy ground. "Even after everything? How can he not believe after everything that happened? What did I do wrong?" he demanded from her as he stooped, roughly snatched a handful of snow, compacted it and chucked it at the back of the teen's head. "Why can't you believe? What did I do wrong?" he yelled in a futile attempt at Jamie.

The teen in question let out an "oof" as the ball of snow and ice hit his head. He turned around, eyes blazing. "Watch it, Soph! That one hurt."

"I didn't throw it," she said, prickling in defense.

"Then who did?"

"Jack Frost," she answered without missing a beat.

He laughed at her as he turned and continued walking as he mumbled, "Grow up, Soph. He doesn't exist. How could he?"

The young girl turned apologetic eyes towards Jack, but he was already high in the air, pushing away from his former friend.

_Why did he have to grow up?_

_ Why did he have to stop believing?_

_ After everything—_

_ All the good times—_

_ He just goes and stops believing._

_ It couldn't be that easy._

His belief in that he was erring in some way solidified. He had to have messed up somewhere. Jamie wouldn't have just stopped believing in him. He wouldn't. He _couldn't_. They had been too close. He had to have done _something_ wrong.

* * *

Marie brushed off the thin dusting of snow that covered the bench and sat down. She crossed her ankles and stretched her legs out in front of her. Her gloved hands stretched out on the cold bench seat, and her neck craned upwards. Soft, chilled flakes of snow fell lightly from the darkening sky and gently kissed her cheeks and eyelashes. A smile tugged at her lips as she closed her eyes and embraced the brisk weather that nipped at her skin.

A cold hand covered her eyes and she gasped in surprise. A cool breathe caressed her ear, "Guess who."

A laugh bubbled past her lips. "Hey, Jack."

His hand slipped from her face as he straddled the bench next to her, his staff resting across his knees. "You ready?" he asked.

The young woman's green eyes shifted from the sky to meet the bright blue eyes next to her crinkled in laughter.

"Yes," she responded, "I—" Her voice fell through as she spied a dark streak in Jack's pale hair. Without a thought, she licked her thumb and reached out to the mark in his hair.

"Woah!" he exclaimed jumping back.

"What you have a black streak in your hair. Let me get it out," Marie pleaded.

With a pout, he sat back closer on bench. As the young woman focused on scrubbing out the irremovable stain, she barely caught on to the strains of mumbles coming from Jack's lips.

"Whatcha say?" she asked, her brows furrows in concentration.

"Why do people grow up?" he whispered.

Sighing in resignation, she dropped her hands from the insistent black streak. "It's a fact of natural life. We all have to grow up at some time."

As her eyes looked back at the down casted ones of the figure in front of her, her heart sank at realization of what she just said. "Oh God, I'm sorry, Jack. I forgot that you—"

"Don't worry," he said, shrugging off the comment and standing up. He held out his hand behind him, "Ready?"

"Yeah," she mumbled grasping it.

The wind whipped around them and tugged them upwards, her heart remained below. _What's it like for, Jack?_ She wondered,_ Always staying the same. Not changing. Never having a chance to grow up, have a family. _

Her eyes traced his saddened face. His bright eyes duller and his smile strained.


	8. Black Snow

**Hey, readers! I have this finished now, so you will be getting daily updates. There are three more chapters after this one and an epilogue. Please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**Black Snow**

The two landed softly in a small park at the center of town. The young woman turned to her companion and asked, "What are we doing today?"

"Sledding," he said with a smile.

Marie simply frowned at his response. "Jack, aren't you forgetting something?"

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes and worry entered the black haired woman's mind at the sight of it. "What?" he asked tentatively.

"A sled?" she prompted softly.

A grin split across Jack's face as his body relaxed. "Hey, no worries, okay? I've got it covered."

Green eyes met blue ones skeptically. "How?" she inquired.

The silver haired boy twirled his staff and rested it on a shoulder. "Meet me on top of the hill," he declared as he pushed off the ground and a gust of wind blew him higher and out of sight.

With a sigh, Marie shook her head at his antics as she stuffed her hands into her coat pockets and began her journey. Her boot clad feet crunched through the icy frost that covered the top of the snow giving it a crystalline sheen. She smiled gently to herself as she marveled at Jack's work.

_Did it just come to him or did he practice?_ she mused quietly. _How long does something like this take?_ As her eyes grazed of the minute details of each patch of ice she passed and the delicate icicles that hung desperately to the edge of surrounding buildings and statues, she wondered if the young man put conscious effort into each detail.

_He goes through so much. He does so much for the few who believe and the majority who don't. _

Marie quickly flicked her eyes around the immediate area and sky. Not seeing the blue sweater clad boy, she plopped backwards, limbs extended. _One snow angel won't hurt,_ she thought blissfully as her arms and legs easily fell into the familiar motions.

High-pitched squeals of glee split the air and the heavy tromping of uncoordinated footsteps followed. "Playtime after school time," the young woman said with a laugh.

Softer footsteps passed her as she heard a woman mutter. "The kids love this, but I can't wait for it all to melt. All this frost is making the roads crappy. I've had to add an extra thirty minutes to my drive time!"

"I know, Carrie," another voice responded. "I love the first snowfall. I love a white Christmas, but after New Year's, I can't wait for it to be gone. It causes so many problems. Money's tight as it is and the heating bill isn't helping. Spring can't come soon enough."

The black haired woman felt her heart sink as the discussion faded into the distance. _Poor Jack. So much work for so little appreciated. _Sometimes she wished that when people got older more were able to still see the world through the wonder filled eyes of childhood. Slowly standing up, she brushed the white flecks that clung to her clothes and finished her journey to the top of the hill. A frown creased eyebrows at the sight of the empty scape that greeted her.

With a sigh and roll of the eyes at Jack's time management, she sat down and began to doodle in the white snow, grateful she had remembered gloves this time. As her mind slid towards numbing boredom, a pair of bare feet rested silently on the snow in front of her. Green eyes looked up to spy the black streaked haired boy smugly smiling down at her as he dropped a sled in the snow in front of her.

"Where'd you get that?" Marie asked as she stood up.

"Borrowed it from an old friend. Now get on!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Smiling at the return of his enthusiasm, she clambered to her knees and climbed onto the sled. The black haired woman tucked her feet up on the wood and grabbed ahold of the sides. Taking a deep breath, it was suddenly expelled from her lungs in a joyous shout as Jack pushed the sled, and she went flying down the hill. Her yells turned to ones of terror as she kept gaining speed until she was sliding along slick ice at the bottom of the hill.

The silver headed boy let out a laugh as he flew up alongside her, stretched out lazily on the wind. Quickly, he cut in front of her, his staff in hand trailing behind him. Wherever the wood touched, ice would flower up and the blades on Marie's sled eagerly followed it.

"This isn't the sledding I had in mind!" she called out to the figure.

His eyebrows pulled together in worry. "Do you not like it?" he asked nervously.

She shook her head. "It's fun!"

Jack smiled at her words and twisted onto his stomach, speeding in front of her. He continued to lay out ice, creating a twisting path that elicited several laughs from the young woman. Suddenly, he shot into the air with a flurry of snowflakes and wind until he hovered a good twenty feet above the sledding woman. The staff clenched in his hands began to glow as threads of blue flared to life around the wood, building in intensity.

Covering her eyes at a brief flash of light, Marie stared in wonder at the ice the now decorated the oncoming street. She felt her stomach fall as his planned dawned on her. "Jack!" she cried out.

"What?" he asked, his feet landing lightly on the back of the sled. He balanced expertly on the balls of his feet as he squatted down to her level.

Green eyes shifted over her shoulder until they met blue. "We're heading for the street."

"Yeah, I know."

"The street, Jack!"

"It'll be fun," he assured her as his arms came around her shoulders, the hook of his staff directed in front of her. "Just follow my instructions."

Nodding mutely, the young woman squeezed her eyes shut as the silver headed boy ordered her to sharply turn left. She obeyed and felt the weight from the back of the sled disappear. Her eyes flew open in worry and desperately searched the area. Her fear began to build as she looked back in front of her and stared in horror at the ramp of ice that was presented before her.

She let out a wild scream as she flew into the air. Her eyes darted to the ground below her and Marie spied the silver and black haired boy floating below her with a wide smile dancing on his face. Her scream turned to one of joy as she felt the sled's blades make contact with a downward slope of ice, and she glided for a snowdrift. Squeezing her eyes and bracing for an impact, she was surprised that the fall was soft as she sunk into the pile of snow.

With a giggle, she brushed the cold dust from her face as she sat up. "You win," she said as Jack landed softly in front of her. "That was fun."

Her comment was met by a wide smile.

"Let's do it again," she ordered as she clambered out of the snow and snatched up the sled.

"That," he said with a laugh, "I can do." His staff touched the ground, and a new patch of ice flowered to life.

Grasping the sled to her chest, Marie stepped back from the ice. With her eyebrows scrunched in thought, she took off running and jumped. The sled clattered against the ice and she struggled to gain her balance as she took off with impossible speed along a new track. A laugh gathered in her throat as she looked over to see Jack keeping up effortlessly with her pace.

* * *

The sun was beginning to bed itself down in the horizon as the moon started to prepare for his watch. As the sky darkened its blue coloring, the pair finished yet another circle around the quieting town in the park. Jack's bare feet brushed the surface of the snow as he landed in front of the laughing Marie, a smile tugging at his own lips. Her nose was red and her creamy skin was flushed a brilliant rose from the nipping chill in the air.

Though he greatly enjoyed her smiling face, he couldn't help but want another in front of him. His smile slipped from his mouth as he felt his thoughts turn southwards.

No.

No.

He had been having so much fun.

He had been doing it right.

His hand clenched his staff in front of him as his crystal eyes scanned the area. His heart seized as he spied the blackness standing proudly on the crest of the hill. Its yellow eyes glowed strongly in the darkening light.

"Jack?" he heard in the distance, a soft entreating voice. He felt a light tug on his sweater.

"Well, Jack?" a dark voice, a contortion of his own, hissed in his ear. "Are you going to answer the one person who will put up with you? You don't want to leave her do you? Perhaps it would be better that way. Better in the loneliness. It's what you deserve."

The silver haired boy felt his knees buckle, and he crashed onto a cushion of snow. He desperately clutched his staff that stood buried in the snow, using all of his energy to remain kneeling at the least.

"After all," the voice—his voice continued—"you lost Jamie. What makes you think that you can hold on to anyone if even he forgot about you? You are nothing but a whispered myth, Jack. Something to be forgotten and ignored in the passing of time because you don't matter. You will never last beyond a memory of a dream. Why try so hard for people who will only forget you? For people you will never believe in you. Nothing lasts forever, Jack."

The young man struggled for breath against the panicked fear that threatened to steal every particle of oxygen from his lungs. His eyes glazed over as he watched the darkness slither towards him.

"I will always be here. You cannot be rid of fear, Jack. Why do you insist on fighting me so? We could be together, Jack. Together. Lonely no more. I can help you," the voice continued as the dark mass extended a very human looking hand.

"Jack?" came the soft again, struggling to penetrate his closed mind.

_Marie,_ he thought vaguely, as he pinched his eyes shut.

She would be gone soon.

Sophie would be gone soon.

He would be all alone again.

No one believing in him.

_How can I be a Guardian when there is no one believing in me?_

His breath came out in strangled gasps as he felt his power and strength slowly bleeding from his limbs.

"I know, Jack. I know what it is like to be alone. Take my hand. Together," it promised.

The Guardian of Fun felt desperation clawing at his heart and mind, blinding anything resembling thought and sanity. He couldn't be alone. Not anymore. He knew what it was like to be known, to be loved, to be believed in. He couldn't go back.

His glass eyes flew open as he lunged to grasp the hand the nightmare open. A gargled scream passed his lips as he collapsed into the snow. His head swarmed in confusion as doubt and fear continued to swirl in his thoughts. He waited. He waited for it to abate but it didn't. It remained. It didn't leave him. It kept him company.

* * *

The young woman shoved flyaway curls out of her face as she sat back in the snow; the young man's head nestled in her lap. Panic and adrenaline still pulsed through her veins as she struggled to calm her racing heart. Her gloved hand absentmindedly ran through his hair as she watched his face contort, his eyes staring glassily into the night.

Her mind didn't know what to focus on: her fear, her sadness, her confusion. Marie couldn't remember a time that she had been more afraid than when Jack's form had stared of into the distance, his brow glistening with sweat, before he plummeted into the snow. He hadn't registered anything she had said, and he still refused to acknowledge even the lightest or harshest of touches. She couldn't figure out what had happened. He had been so happy until his entire body seemed to be torn down with fear.

A light coldness brushed against her cheek, and she flinched, rubbing her cheek against her shoulder. Her emerald eyes drifted to the white snow, now dotted black by the freshly falling snow. Her eyes darted to the sky to spy the moon, crescent and frowning as rolling clouds began tossing down black confetti under the guise of snow.

The young woman's panic was renewed, and she began to violently shake Jack awake, calling out to him desperately. His lids fluttered over his eyes and the creases in his face began to smooth out. He sat up and buried his head in his hands, groaning in pain.

Marie bit her lip to stifle the gasp lodged in her throat. _His hair_. His moonlight hair was dusted with darkness. Its brightness now dimmed and depressed by the black streaks the populated the strands of his hair. "Jack," she whispered.

He slowly turned to her, his blue eyes dimmed with pain and confusion.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. "The snow. Jack, the snow is black."

His eyes turned to the dark flakes floated downwards. He silently held out a hand and allowed one to land on his hand. His lips curved in thought as he began to play with the black snow, flitting it in and out of his fingers.

"Jack?" the black haired woman asked again.

His eyes steeled and glinted towards her. His lips pulled back into a sneer as he jumped to his feet. A foot slipped under his staff and tossed it into the air where he caught it with practiced ease. "You think you no longer need me? That you'd leave me?" he questioned, his voice doubled. A short laugh punctured the air. "No. I'll leave you."

Without another word, a gust of biting wind chaffed passed Marie as it wrapped around Jack and sent him sky high until he melded into the darkness.

"Oh God, Jack. What happened?"


	9. Searching For Jack

**Hello, readers! I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**Searching for Jack**

Warm sunlight beat through her closed eyelids, patches of red dancing in front of her vision. With a sigh, she stretched her tight muscles, her limbs sprawling across the bed. Her hands migrated towards her face, and her knuckles rubbed harshly against her eyes. A yawn pulled her jaw as she slumped forward into a sitting position. Green eyes blinked blearily as they lazily scanned the room. The bed next to her was empty, the sheets thrown haphazardly across it. The clock blinked 11:18, and her mind jolted awake at the time.

Marie threw the covers from her legs and jumped to her feet. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt. Quickly, she peeled her pajamas from her skin and replaced them with her new clothes. Leaning forward, she gathered her hair into a tangled bunch and stood upright again. She paused a moment to allow the blood to rush from her head before she searched for a hair tie. Once she found one, she yanked it around the mass of curls, slipped on a jacket, snatched her keys and bag and darted out of the door.

Her stomach growled menacingly in the silent hallway as it twisted in protest. She had forty minutes until class: she could risk swinging by the cafeteria. As she pushed the door open and stepped out into the bitter cold, memories from the night before flooded into her. Her body flinched in shock as she stood terrified at the events that she had hoped to only be a bad dream. Her eyes scanned the black that dusted the white, eating away at its innocence and purity. Biting her lip, she stuffed her hands in her pockets and trudged towards the cafeteria.

The young woman fell in step behind a pair of upper classmen who were discussing a forest fire nearby. Strong winds last night had blown ash all the way into town, and it now littered the snow. She felt a pit forming in her stomach as she heard the rumors flitting around being accepted as the truth. It only made the truth more worrisome to her.

_What happened to Jack?_ she thought for the umpteenth time as she paid and began searching for something edible that might surpass her loss of appetite.

All she could remember was his collapsed form, his anger, his fear, him leaving her in the cold. She had shuffled her way back to the college after that, getting turned around countless times until she finally found the street and the campus lights in the distance.

_He wouldn't leave me like that, _she tried to convince herself. _So why did he? I have to find him. After class…_

When no food stood out to her, she snatched a packaged sandwich, a bag of chips, some fruit and a bottle of water. Stuffing all but an apple into her bag, she looked over the faces that occupied the seating. She spotted Laura and Jeff amongst a couple other familiar faces at a table nestled in the back. They sat talking in low hushed voices that snuck under the regular din of the cafeteria. Double checking the time to reassure herself that she had enough of it, she made her way to the table and squeezed into the only available chair that was partially sat in by Laura.

The table quieted down and turned their eyes expectantly to her.

"What's up?" Marie asked as she took a bite of her apple, catching stray droplets of juice with the back of her hand.

"You haven't heard?" Laura asked, her eyes wide.

"Heard what?" the black haired woman asked around the chunk of apple in her mouth.

"You were out late—I thought you had run into it. It was pretty bad," her roommate rattled on.

"What?"

"There was a crash on Main," Jeff interrupted. "A severe one. Two dead. Three life flight. One has near zero chance of survival. One survival but with mental damage easily. The last—a child—thankfully should make it out just fine."

The young woman gulped, struggling to keep the apple from sticking in her throat as it fought to stay up. Her hand fell onto her lap, and her grip loosened on her apple. "What happened?" she choked out.

"Black ice," Laura jumped back in with. "No one was expecting a freeze—at least nothing that bad. It just took one car going too fast..." she trailed off.

Marie fought to keep air in her lungs. Black ice. Flash freeze. A child surviving fairly unscathed. "How—how old were the others?" she choked out.

"Not including the child?" Jeff asked.

She simply nodded, not trusting her voice as her heart sank deeper and deeper.

"One car had an elderly couple. The other had the kid's parents. I guess that gives you—"

"Yeah, I got it," she stumbled out.

_Jack._

_ It has to be Jack._

_ Oh God, what happened to you, Jack?_

"I've got to go," Marie announced as she jumped from her seat, nearly knocking Laura over.

"Where the hell are you going?" her roommate questioned. "Don't you have a class in twenty?"

"Yeah, but I—I have to find someone. Tell Donalds that I'm sorry!" Tossing her apple into the nearby trashcan, she readjusted the strap on her bag and ran out of the door. She had a Guardian to find.

* * *

Her nose was numb. Her fingers were stiff. Her feet were at the point beyond soreness and feeling. She had been walking around town for the past two and half hours, and she had yet to spy the young man in the blue sweater who she suspected was behind the turn of events in the small city.

But, she had passed by the remains of the wreck three times and each time splintered her heart a bit more. Marie firmly believed that if her eyes spied the twisted and warped metal once more, her heart would finally break.

With a sigh, the young woman collapsed onto a bus bench and stretched her legs out in front of her. She arched her head back and rested the crook of her neck on the cold metal of the back of the bench. Closing her eyes to the glare of the afternoon sun, she allowed her mind to drift into a state of semi-consciousness. She hoped with every fiber in her being that Jack was alright, that he was safe—that this atrocity wasn't his fault.

A mumble of young voices entered her, but she shoved them off as she tried to empty her mind. However, two voices stubbornly refused to accommodate for her.

"Think about it. The weathermen should've seen it. If they would've known—" a teen on the ending cliff of puberty stated.

"They can't predict Jack," a young girl piped up.

Green eyes flew open. _Jack._

"Soph, stop it. You're sounding like a child. He's not real," he reprimanded.

"You used to believe, Jamie," she responded in a weak whisper.

Marie sat up and looked behind her to see a gaggle of teens leaving a young, blond girl—who she assumed to be Soph—dejectedly looking down at her boots in their wake.

"Excuse me," the young woman called gently.

The girl perked up and flashed her brilliant eyes towards Marie. She raised a finger and pointed to herself.

Marie nodded and patted the seat of the bench next to her. "C'mon here for a moment. I want to ask you something."

The eyes peered warily out behind the strands of blond bangs that fell in a tousled mess over her forehead. Tentatively, she took a step forward and slipped onto the bench next to the black haired woman.

"Did you just mention Jack Frost a moment ago?" she asked curiously.

Young eyes widened, and she whispered fiercely, "Do you believe too?"

"You bet I do."

"I'm Sophie," the girl introduced as she shifted onto her knees and leaned forward, staring intently at Marie. "Do you know what happened to Jack?"

"What?" the young woman stumbled out.

"He came to see Jamie yesterday. He left pretty depressed 'cause he can't see him anymore. Jamie was his first believer."

Pink lips fell into a soft "o" as he young girl continued her story.

"He came back a bit later to take his old sled. Don't know what he used it for, but he hasn't brought it back yet. I know he can be forgetful but not with things like that. Then there was that crash last night, and it had to do with ice. I don't think Jack would've done that on purpose, do you?"

The young woman shook her head as her jaw clamped shut, her mid whirling around the innocent tattling of the young Sophie.

"Whose Jamie?" she asked as a starter.

"My brother."

"And he used to believe in Jack?"

"Uh-huh," Sophie said with an over exaggerated nod.

"Why doesn't he anymore?"

The young girl shrugged. "He grew up, I guess. Just like adults—he can't see him anymore. He probably won't see any of them anymore." Her eyes lightened as she asked with glee, "Have you met Bunny yet?"

"Who?"

"The Easter Bunny!"

A small smile tugged at the corner of Marie's lips. "No, not yet."

"Oh," the girl trailed off sadly. "Have you seen Jack?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, last night." She raised her hand meekly as she said, "Guilty of using your sled."

"What happened to Jack?!" the girl blurted out.

The green eyed woman jumped back, startled at the energy and desperation in Sophie's voice. "I—I don't know. I've been trying to find him."

"Are you friends?"

"You could say that."

"Well, I have to get home. You keep looking for Jack," she ordered as she jumped from the bench and began jogging down the street in the direction her brother had taken. "Tell him Sophie says hi!" she called back over her shouldered.

"Okay!" Marie yelled in response.

With a huff, she fell back onto the bench. As her mind began whirling through the story Sophie had told her, things Jack had said, things Jack had done, they all began to make sense. He was scared. He was afraid of what happened when people grew up. He was afraid that when they stopped believing it was because of something he did. He was angry at himself that he did something wrong.

Sitting up, she swung onto her feet and set off towards the college with renewed vigor to find Jack. She had one more idea—well, two, but she _really_ didn't want to walk that far. And, she didn't even really know where the lake was. That settled it. She would try her tree, and if he wasn't there, Marie truly had no idea of what to do next. She had no idea of what to do next even if he was there.


	10. The Black Trickster

**Hello, readers! Next chapter! Please leave a review! Thanks :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**The Black Trickster**

Jack felt his entire body jar on impact, rattling his teeth. The air was pushed from his lungs, and he struggled to replenish it. Grasping tightly onto the tree branch he was draped over, he slowly pulled himself up, sweat beaded on his brow from strain. He collapsed onto the limb, his feet dangling over the side and his back propped up against the trunk. He laid his staff across his abdomen and pushed his hood from his head as he tried to breathe deeply.

White teeth clacked shut and strained against each other as pain wracked through his limbs. As the shutters died down, his chest rapidly rising and falling to catch the illusive oxygen the floated in the air, he searched the ground below him in the early morning light. A bench sat beneath him, dusted with untouched snow that hadn't escaped the blackness.

A groan passed his lips as his heart seized and quickly started at thrice its normal pace, his chest tightening in protest. A hand flew up and his long fingers clutched at the blue sweater and skin underneath in attempt to ease or distract the pain. His lids blinked quickly in attempt to rid his eyes of the sweat pouring into them.

After what seemed hours of torture, the pain slowly ebbed from his limbs and his heart relaxed into a gentle rhythm. Jack relaxed into the unyielding tree as a dull ache became the only sensation he was aware of. His crystal eyes fluttered shut as the fear once again numbed his body.

"What have you done?" he his came out in a strangled slur.

"I did what you were too afraid to do," the voice stole from his mouth, twisting the sound to suit it. "I got rid of the problem."

"But…the…the…child," he forced out through the weariness.

"Is alive. And with no grownups to destroy its beliefs."

"But…he….will be…so…alone."

"Just as you were."

"I…didn't want…this."

"Then what did you want, Jack?" the voice barked. "You are no longer alone. A child is freed from its oppressors. Surely this is a time for celebration?"

Jack felt his chest heave with laughter but his mind dulled as it became lost in a whirlwind of memory.

* * *

_"You've lost him. You can't lose another. Can you, Jack?"_

_ "No," he whispered, his breath clouding the air in front of him._

_ His eyes stared into the back window of a van stopped at a red light. A young boy had his face plastered to the glass, his eyes roving the dark landscape for a flicker of the person he had just seen flying through the air. His lips moved in an unheard whisper of "Where'd he go?" as the window fogged around his warm breath._

_ The figure in the driver's seat turned down the stereo and the silver streaked haired boy heard a gruff voice question, "Where'd who go, Stephen?"_

_ Young eyes risked a glance away from the world outside to his parents in the front. "Jack Frost," he said simply before he was once again glued to the window._

_ The woman in the passenger seat gave a light laugh as she looked over her shoulder, a smile playing at her lips._

_ "Stephen," the man began, impatience coloring his voice, "Jack Frost isn't—"_

_ "Oh hush," his wife reprimanded him as she faced forward. "Let him believe."_

_ "Sarah, he's almost nine."_

_ "So? What harm will it do?"_

_ The man sighed, tired of explaining to his wife the woes of being a young boy who refused to grow up and stop believing._

_ "See," the voice crept in. "He wishes for the boy to leave you."_

_ "But, his mother—"Jack protested._

_ "Will soon agree with the father."_

_ The young man watched as Stephen slowly pulled away from the window, a frown pulling at his lips, and slumped into his seat. He felt his heart tightened as the frown did. Leaping down from his perch on the lamppost, he landed softly in front of the boy's window. Stretching out his staff, he lightly tapped it against the glass and smiled as frost began to flower, dusting the window in white. _

_ A gleeful shout sounded in the car as a small hand slammed against the window. "Look look look look look!" came a torrent of sound. _

_ Jack felt a laugh escape his lips._

_ "He'll leave you. Just like Jamie. You don't want that to happen do you?"_

_ The young man's arm fell to his side, the hook of his staff clattering against the pavement as black ice began to pool from its touch. "No," he whispered._

_ The light turned green and soon the sweater clad figure was left behind. As the fear grew stronger that another one was escaping, he pushed off after the car: ice forming wherever he stepped. Soon he raced alongside the car._

_ "You know what you have to do. Stop the car. Stop the parents."_

_ "But…" Jack began to protest._

_ "You'll lose him, Jack! You'll be all alone again."_

_ With a pained scream, his knuckles white as they clenched his staff, he sent a bolt of ice to the street ahead. It froze invisible to the eye, and the car kept speeding to it unaware. The young man slowed to a stop, as he watch the car slip on the slick surface and barrel into the other lane in the path of a smaller car._

_ It was over in a blink. _

_ He jumped into the air and surveyed the scene, his eyes desperate to find the child. They found the young boy, nestled in the back, dark red trickling from his temple. Panic sent Jack into a frenzy as he fell to the ground. He stumbled towards the boy, pulling away crumpled metal to reach him. He stretched out a hand felt the fading warmth of his flesh, the dying heartbeat. _

_ "No. No. You said I wouldn't be alone."_

_ "Accidents happen, Jack."_

_ "No. C'mon, Stephen. C'mon and look at me," the young man pleaded. In desperation, he lightly touched a finger to the trail of blood, freezing and clotting it._

_ Shouts and sirens sounded behind him, and eyelids fluttered open to reveal eyes burning with an unparalleled amount of accusation in one so young. _

_Jack stumbled away and took off into the wind. Away from burning eyes. Away from eyes that would never unsee him. Away from guilt. Away from his permanence in a child's life._

* * *

"I—I didn't want it…to be like this," he gasped out as he struggled through the dark waters of the memory.

"That's how it is, Jack. It's the only way. Do you want to be alone again?" the voice taunted.

"No."

"Do you want them to grow up and forget about you?"

"Stop."

"Do you want to lose them like Jamie?"

"No. Stop," Jack pleaded desperately.

"Accept it, Jack. I can help."

The young man felt his body give in to the fear. The pain would be worth it, right? The worry would all go away, right? The children would believe. The children would see him. Always. The fear would go away if he just gave in, right?

* * *

Each breath of cold air was a jagged dagger driven into her chest which had her gasping for more air, her situation only worsening. Her legs pumped painfully as her feet slapped against the cold concrete and hardened snow. Her nose was numb and running. But, it didn't matter. None of it mattered unless she got to Jack in time.

Marie couldn't be sure that he would even be at her tree. She couldn't be sure that she could help. All the young woman knew was that she had to be there, she had to try, she had to do something. She knew what it was like to be afraid, afraid of being rejected, of having done something wrong. God, that was all she knew after her dad died.

Suicide.

What a way to go.

He had been so happy. He had always been with her, made time for her. And then…he goes and ends it. What else was a five year old to think?

And slowly her mom and retreated into herself. She wasn't really a mom by the end of it.

Her entire childhood had been populated by the fear that she had screwed up somewhere. That if only. If only she had done this. If only she had said that.

_I have to try. He has to understand. I understand. I have to try. I can't lose him. I can't. Not again. Not again._

With renewed energy, Marie threw her body fully into her run as the campus appeared down the street.

* * *

She skidded to a stop underneath the weeping branches heavy with snow. Her legs shook violently as she dropped to her knees, panting from exertion. Swallowing as she took a couple deep, shuddering breaths, her green eyes roved the area and the shadows entwined in the branches. A flash of blue caught her eye, and Marie felt a relieved smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Jack," she breathed out, "I was so worried. I heard. I heard about Jamie. Jack, I want to tell you—"

"Your poor Jack's no more," a voice grated out from above.

The young woman felt a nagging fear prickle at the back of her neck. "Who are you?" she demanded more bravely than she felt.

A hollow laugh slithered down from the heights of the branches as glazed, glassy eyes appeared, glowing from within the shadows. "All that's left," came the voice.

From the shadows melted a familiar pale face framed by midnight black hair, nestled in the shadow of a blue hood. "He left me," Jack's voice twisted and fell from his mouth. "They all leave me. They all grow up. No more. _No more_, you hear! They will always believe. They will always see me. I won't be alone. Not anymore."

"Oh God, Jack," Marie breathed out in saddened horror. "What happened?"

"I'm not Jack!" the voice barked before it softened into a whimper. "I won't be alone any more. They won't have a choice. They'll have to believe. They'll have to see me."

In a fluid swoop, the black Jack slinked down from his perch in the tree and landed lightly on the bench, his toes curling around the edge. His glass eyes bored into her. "You're growing up," he hissed. "Soon you won't believe. Soon you won't see. Not anymore. _Not anymore!"_ came the furry filled holler as he leapt towards her, long fingers outstretched and staff raised for the blow.


	11. Black or White

**Hello, readers! Last chapter here. Only the epilogue after this. Please leave a review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**B****lack or White**

Cold daggers dug into her neck and pulled her to her feet. A scream of pain caught in throat unable to leave just as air was unable to enter. Her small hands clawed desperately at the fingers without dent or impact. As her green eyes locked with the glass eyes, she saw the hardness crack as the fingers unclamped themselves from her skin. With a strangled gasp, she hit the ground. Her hands massaged the tender flesh of her neck as she struggled to replenish her oxygen.

Once her lungs were satisfied, the young woman shakily shifted to her hands and knees and pushed herself upwards onto weak legs. A biting wind tore through the area and wiped around her and the young man who stood in front of her.

His face was contorted and his knuckles whiter than snow as the black Jack grasped the staff that stood buried in the snow and ground. His empty eyes searching feverishly.

"Jack," Marie whispered fiercely passed the lump in her throat as burning tears seared trails down her numbed cheeks.

His glass eyes turned to her, his midnight hair flying around his face as the winter wind tore around him. He slowly walked towards her, and for a brief moment, she hoped that he recognized her, that she had made some sort of headway. But that seed was tossed onto barren soil because once he stopped in front of her, he reached out his lithe fingers and seized her arms. Marie cried out in pain as they dug into the soft flesh of her arms. Her green eyes shimmered in pain and anguish as they looked down and saw a spreading frost originating from his fingertips.

Fear pierced her heart as she watched the darkness capturing her body inch by inch, removing her ability to move, to feel, to be her. She was going to die, but what was worse was that she was going to lose Jack.

Jack was going to lose himself.

As the dark frost encompassed half of her body, Marie leaned her forehead against Jack's chest and wept.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I'm so sorry. We can't all be immortal. We are young and then we grow up. We move on. That's what humans do. Jack, though you may not be believed in as children grow older, though they may get busy and forget to stop and look at what you do for then, though they may end up forgetting you and storing you away as a childhood memory to share to their children, it's not because you did something _wrong_. It's because you did something _right_! It's because you brought them fun when they needed it and as they grow older, they no longer need it but they share it with their children who need it. Jack, you're always going to be needed."

Marie risked a look at her body to see that the frost had stopped spreading across her body. Wide eyes turned up to the dark haired boy's face which was contorted in a grimace that shattered the young woman's heart. But for a brief moment she saw the faintest trace of blue pass through his tormented eyes. Swallowing, she continued on, she had to save Jack.

"I know what it is like to feel lonely, to fear that no one will know you and that your efforts go unnoticed. I know the fear that when people move on it is because you did something wrong. I know what that's like, Jack. I know that fear, but you can't let it control you. You have to know that it's there and be brave. You have to have courage and live on despite that fear.

And if I count at all, Jack, I believe in you and I always will. I will tell my children about you and they will believe in you, too. You have never done anything but what was right—know that, and I—," Marie choked on her words as she realized what she was about to say. Fear snuck into her heart at her uncertainty, but she plunged into it just as she was urging Jack to do. "I love you! You hear that, Jack? I love you, as you are. Your sarcasm, your easy-going attitude bordering on carelessness, your loyalty, your determination, your passion," she rambled on through hiccups, her tears refusing to seize.

The black haired woman took a deep breath in attempt to ease the sobbing that wracked her frame. As she evened her breath, salt water continued to pour from her eyes as she saw the black Jack still standing before her. With one last effort—an action that could rival any of Jack's in randomness and lack of planning—she struggled and twisted in the frost and managed to break enough off to reach up and place her palms against his cold cheeks. Biting her lip and throwing off any possible second thoughts, she stood on her toes and softly pressed her warm, soft lips to his cold, unyielding ones.

When she invoked no response, a strangled sob passed her lips as she pressed her forehead against his. "I—I want my Guardian—of Fun back," she whispered through trembling lips.

Jack's body jolted against Marie and she looked up in a panic to see a familiar pair of ice blue eyes partially hidden by black hair.

"Marie," he whispered in a voice she had yearned to hear again.

"Yes?" she answered obediently.

His long fingers broke from her arms and he stumbled back from her. "Go," he ordered hoarsely, "now."

"I'm not leaving you!" she countered as she tried to break off the melting frost.

"You have to. I don't know what—," the young man let out a scream of pain and she watched as his eyes grew hollow again. They turned to her, pure anger and fear burning in the pupils.

"You idiot," the voice said from Jack's mouth. "What makes you think that you can help Jack when you can't even help yourself? Don't think that I don't know what fear is constantly paralyzing you. Who are you to talk to Jack in such a way? Would he appreciate you lying to him?"

The green eyed woman stepped back from the dark Jack, her heart beating rapidly in panic. Another scream passed Jack's lips and the blue crept back into his eyes. They turned on her, burning brightly, "I told you to get out of here! It's not safe!"

"Oh, poor Jack, getting rid of the only person who cares," the voice taunted. "What are you going to do once she's gone? No one will care about you. She'll grow up like everyone else. She'll grow up and forget about you. She won't need you anymore than. She'll have a family on her own."

"No. I'm not listening to you anymore," Jack asserted.

"I think you might want to listen to me."

Pleading blue eyes turned to Marie and begged her to help, but she couldn't do anything. She couldn't help him, because those were her fears. Those were her fears. She knew what it was like to feel guilty and worry and fear that it was her fault that something went wrong. She knew, but she had moved on. But now. Growing up. Leaving her childishness behind. Having to be the leader. Having a family to care for. Move one from her beliefs. They had the same fears, and she couldn't do anything about it.

"She'll have a family, Jack," the voice continued to prod. "Remember what a family is? That thing that cursed you into this life? That thing that you want so much but are never going to be able to get? She'll get it, Jack, and you'll be stuck watching her happy and unbelieving."

His crystal eyes broke as they looked into her jewels. "Are you?" he asked, his voice breaking. "Are you going to stop believing? You're going to move on, right? Have a family. Why did you—why did stay with me if you were just going to leave me?"

"Listen to me, Jack," she pleaded as she walked towards him. Her tongue came out, dampening her chapped lips as she struggled with finding the words to tell him the truth, to calm him. "When I was young, my belief in you was so important to me. Even now it is. My life was so empty before you. I needed you to get through so much."

"But I'm no longer needed. Soon you'll be too busy and then you'll forget. You won't need me anymore," he replied, his words reminiscent of what she had said earlier.

The young woman wrapped her hand around his cheek. "God, no, Jack. I will never not believe in you. You have kept me going. My belief in you has kept me here, as I am and that won't change. I can't imagine my life without that belief."

"But you'll grow up. When people grow up, they forget," Jack said, the voice beginning to echo his words.

"Jack, Jack, don't go back to him. Don't listen to what he tells you. Listen to me. Only me, okay? People move on from things. Beliefs when you're a child are like a crutch: they help you get through life; they show you the wonders around you. But when people get older, they get cocky. They feel like they don't need that crutch anymore and limp through life. They limp for so long that soon they forget what it was like to walk effortlessly with the crutch. I have no plans on letting the crutch go, Jack. I believe in you. Now, it's your turn to believe in me."

"Marie, I—" he began to say before a piercing scream tore from his mouth. "Get out!" he yelled. "Get out! GET OUT OF ME!"

The curly haired woman flinched back as Jack clutched his head between his hands as he continued screaming. She watched with unblinking and unwavering eyes as a black mass oozed from his skin and puddled onto the ground. It dripped slowly from his hair, leaving a familiar silver color behind. As it massed at his bare feet, it coarsened and blew across the snow until it swirled into the form of a twisted horse, bright amber eyes glowing from the hollow skull.

"You will never escape me, Jack," the disembodied voice grated. "I will be with you, ever moment of your immortal life whispering into your ear exactly what you don't want to admit to yourself."

"Yes," Jack responded as he stumbled to his full height. Marie rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him up. He laid an arm around her shoulder and leaned his weight onto her. "You'll never leave me alone, but," he continued with a smirk, "I'll never believe you again."

The exhausted woman watched in horror as the sand fell to the ground and blew away from sight on the chilled wind.

"Thank you," she finally registered Jack saying.

She turned her eyes to his face, scanning every feature. It was back. He was back. Overcome with emotion, her bottom lip began to quiver as she buried her face into his chest. "I thought I lost you," she mumbled into his frosted sweater.

"Me too," he replied softly, gently stroking her hair behind her ear. "Marie?" he called softly.

"Hmm?"

"Look at me."

He said it so simply that she could help but slipping from him and stepping back to look up and meet his brilliant blue eyes. "I missed your eyes so much," she said without thinking.

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I missed yours, too."

His words were so heartfelt and sincere that tears sprung to her eyes. Before Marie could register what was happening, the now silver haired boy wrapped his long fingers around her cheeks and tilted her head, pulling her closer until he gently rested his cool lips against her warm forehead.

"Thank you," he whispered as his chilled breath poured over her skin.

Marie laughed gently as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It was nothing."

A firm chin landed lightly on top of her head as blue sweater clad arms wrapped around her. "There's still a bit of sun left. How about some fun?"

"That sounds perfect," the young woman answered with a wide smile. "Oh, and Sophie says, 'Hi'."

Jack smiled as he pulled away, took ahold of her wrist and dragged her into the air on the wind.


	12. Epilogue: Heat Wave Fun

**Hello, readers! Well, this is the end of it. fantasyfreak133, I believe this answers your question?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Rise of the Guardians'**

* * *

**Heat Wave Fun**

A young woman groaned as she pulled her mass of black curls off the back of her neck with a small hand and piled it on top of her head. Holding the unruly hair in place, she snatched the hat from the grass next to her and placed it on top of her head, tucking stray curls underneath it.

"This heat wave sucks," she complained to the blond woman stretched out on the ground.

"You don't need to tell me twice," Laura responded as sat up and reached for the bottle of sunscreen. She squeezed a generous dose into her awaiting palm and rubbed it on the multitude of exposed skin that was beginning to tinge red. "But, I have to admit," she continued as she scrubbed the excess off her on her shorts, "I prefer this over the snow."

"Oh, I don't know," Marie responded as she slipped a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and leaned against her tree. "The sun's nice and all, but I still like the snow."

"I just don't get you," her roommate responded.

The black haired woman simply shrugged and shut her eyes against the sun rays that penetrated through the tangled branches and highlighted the budding leaves.

A loud huff sounded as someone plopped down on the ground in front of her. She cracked an eye open to see Jeff with three orange cream popsicles in his hands.

"Ooh," Laura exclaimed as she reached out and snatched one.

The man sighed and held a one out to Marie. With a smile, she gladly accepted it. Her fingers wrapped around the sticky wooden stick as orange syrup dripped onto her hand.

"Ack!" she exclaimed as she quickly switched hands and lick the glue like substance off her palm only to be rewarded by the same liquid claiming her other hand.

Jeff let out a gruff laugh. "What did you expect, Marie? It's pretty damn hot out here."

"Yeah," she said somewhat sadly.

He just gave a crooked smile. His eyes drifted to Laura who happily ate her popsicle. He shook his head and turned around, laying back until his head rested on Marie's outstretched legs. Jeff placed his teeth around his own popsicle and bit off the tip.

Green eyes stared forlornly at the dripping orange, but widened in surprise as a frost crept across the surface and hardened the dripping mass back onto the stick. A smile tugged at her lips as her eyes flitted towards the net of tree branches. "Thank you," she whispered to the form of a young man she hadn't been able to see in two years.

As she began licking the orange cream, her heart sunk briefly at the winter spirit she couldn't see but little things like this made it bearable. It was just a part of growing up. Believing got harder, and though she would readily agree to Jack's Frost existence he was not the first thought in her mind any more. But, she made sure to tell all the children she saw about him.

She closed her eyes again as she reclined her head against the trunk of her tree. _I hope he understands,_ she wished for the umpteenth time._ I hope he doesn't begin to fear again._

A cool breeze rustled the newly forming leaves above her head and dashed the beads of sweat from her neck and face. A whispered voice, so faint it was almost from a dream—or a memory of a dream—was carried on the wind: "I do."

* * *

Jack watched as Marie smiled over her popsicle, and he knew that she had heard him. It still saddened him that she wasn't able to see him anymore, just as it still saddened him that Jamie could no longer see him. But, he had learned to accept it.

Besides, he couldn't help but smile at the children the Marie looked after and the multitude of stories she told them about him. He had quite a few new believers because of her. Perhaps this is how it was supposed to be. Someone would believe as long as possible, as long as needed, and then move on—just as Marie said, but then, they wouldn't need that belief anymore—they were ready to walk without that crutch. But then something amazing would happen. They'd tell stories about being children, about their beliefs, with a smile on their face. New children with eyes full of faith would latch on to these new beliefs, and the cycle would continue.

People continued to believe him. Sometimes they just didn't have time to. So, they passed on the belief to those who had no job in the world but to believe: the children. And the fact that people continued to pass on stories of him, the fact that people still smiled in pleasure at the first snow or the fact that people still laugh with joy as they played in the snow was proof. Proof that he had done something right. He had always done it right. And he would continue doing it right.

With a smile pulling back his lips and blue eyes glistening with mischievous, he took off into the air. Easter was coming soon and he had a surprise freeze up his sleeve. Sure Bunny would hate it, but the kids, the kids would love it.

* * *

**I've had fun, and I hope you have as well! Last chance for a review! Thank you for all the support. I appreciate it!**

**~Alexandria Keating**


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